Bioshock Infinite: Union
by Solarmech
Summary: Five years after returning from Columbia, Booker DeWitt is drawn into a conflict he wants no part of and must fight for what is most precious to him. Contains spoilers for Bioshock Infinite and Burial At Sea.
1. Chapter 1

1Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 1

He jolted up out of bed as he had so many nights before. Though the room was pitch black, he easily found his way to the dresser and struck a match to light the small lamp that rested there.

As the flame brightened the room, Booker DeWitt looked at the reflection in the dresser's mirror. It still bothered him a little, even after five years. The face in the mirror was younger than it should be. True, he had not changed much from the ages of 19 to 38, but it had been a shock to suddenly be nearly twenty years younger.

Many things were different from the last time he had been 24 years old. His daughter, Anna, slept down the hall in a room of her own in a small home he owned. She had long dark hair tied in a ponytail, big blue eyes and was practically bursting with energy. She was more than just smart and learned incredibly fast, which could be a problem at times. But he didn't mind, she was everything to him.

He was doing well financially because of his hard work and investments. Of course knowing what would probably happen ahead of time was a big help there. He had friends, not many, but some. Drinking and gambling had been easier to quit the second time around, but smoking had been a real challenge. Anna's coughing had been more than enough reason to stop, but he had to admit that he did feel better for it as well.

One thing had not changed and that was the nightmares. No, that wasn't quite right. Wounded Knee still haunted him as it had tonight, but in a different way. Before when the nightmares came, he was in the encampment full of rage, killing at will and unwilling to even think of stopping. Now he stood on a hill and was forced to watch the slaughter below, unable to stop it no matter how hard he tried.

Columbia rarely troubled his dreams, but instead lived with him during the waking hours. He could remember them all. All the other Booker's, the Comstock's. He could push away those memories so they did not bother him much, but some things still preyed on him. Were all the Comstock's really gone? Could he still someday become Comstock?

Elizabeth.

'No getting back to sleep tonight. Better get dressed and do something.'

He glanced at the clock and sighed. It was just after four in the morning. At least he didn't have to worry about waking Anna. She slept like a log after running around like a little hellion all day.

He looked around the room. Plain wood floor with a few carpets, a bed, the dresser, a night stand, two wardrobes and a lonely wooden chair. It was simple and functional. There weren't even any paintings on the walls. He knew he could afford something much more lavish, but why bother? He didn't need anything more and the money was better used for the small, but growing library he knew Anna would need as she grew older.

He rubbed his eyes and walked over to the closest wardrobe to put on his work cloths and check on the furnace. Halloween was in four days and it was getting colder. As he started to pull off his nightshirt, he heard a sound. It was a sound he could never forget.

The sound of a Tear opening.

A Tear was opening inside his home.

"ANNA!" he screamed as he raced to the door.

As he pounded down the hallway he heard his daughter shriek and call for him.

And then a man's voice, but he couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Daddy!"

"Anna! I'm Coming!"

Just before he hit the door to Anna's room he cursed that he had left his pistol in his office. But it had been too dangerous to keep around the house with Anna there. She got into everything.

Booker slammed open the door to Anna's bedroom. The Tear shimmered at the foot of Anna's bed, illuminating the room and three men in long coats that had invaded it. Two of them struggled with Anna as she fought and screamed for him.

The third had pistol in hand and started firing as he cleared the door.

Booker found he was on the floor, but didn't remember falling. It was all black, but he could hear Anna screaming for him.

"Shut the little bitch up will you? We gotta get outa here before someone else shows up."

There was a sound of something striking flesh and Anna became silent.

"What about him?" asked another voice.

"He's had it. Not wastin' a bullet on em." came a third harsh voice.

Booker's vision was slowly returning, but it was dark and everything was far away. He could see last of the men step through the Tear and reached out to try and stop them.

A whisper. "Anna."

As the Tear closed, Booker lost his grip on the world and everything faded away.

Booker returned to consciousness slowly. It took some time for him to remember what happened and push the pain of his wounds aside. Then he became aware of two people talking. A man and a woman. The voices sounded familiar. It smelled odd.

The woman "Are you sure he is going to live?"

The man "The others did show themselves to be quite resilient."

Ah hell. Those Two.

The woman "I still don't see why you are doing this."

The man "Payment for services rendered?"

The woman "This one never did anything for us."

The man "Then, maybe I dislike our invention being used to kidnap children?"

The woman "Yes, that is quite disagreeable I will admit."

Booker cracked his eyes open and coughed. He was in a hospital room. That accounted for the smell.

The woman "Ah, I see he is awake."

Booker really didn't want to put up with these two's antics right now, but they might be the only way for him to find Anna.

The woman "Mr. DeWitt, if I may"

Booker interrupted "You're Rosalind Lutece, and that is your "brother" Robert Lutece. You invented the Tear Machine and the quantum whatevers that kept Columbia afloat."

Booker wished he could have enjoyed the expressions on their faces, but he had far bigger concerns at the moment.

The male Lutece recovered more quickly "Well, that certainly eliminates the need for lengthy explanations."

"Why are you here?" he asked. It was difficult to keep from demanding, but he managed it.

The female Lutece "My brother was trying to convince me to render some small manner of assistance to you in this particular matter. But this recent revelation promises makes this particular experiment quite interesting."

The male Lutece pulled out a piece of paper and presented it with a flourish. "I believe that you shall find everything you need here."

Booker took the paper and a key fell out. He looked at the paper and noted that the only thing written on it was an address on east side. When he glanced back up the two had vanished. Not that he was surprised by *that* in any way.

"Time to get to work."

Booker tried to get up and nearly passed out. "Maybe... in a few of days."

It was two weeks before Booker was well enough to visit the address on the paper. Two maddening weeks of inactivity. Friends and acquaintances visited to help lift his spirits, but they could never understand what happened, so he didn't even try to tell them. Anna's nanny, a young woman named Mary visited the most often. Theodore had been uncharastically quite when he visited the one time, but he had known loss and understood it well well. The police came by several times and acted like they had leads on who took Anna, but Booker didn't think they cared much. Newspaper reporters bothered him constantly, but Booker was able to avoid them by claiming his wounds pained him. They smelled a sensational story and didn't care about much else. He needed to stay out of the light of news coverage and as deep in the shadows as he could.

One thing Booker couldn't figure out was who had sent the people after Anna. At first he had thought they were from a Columbia that had somehow escaped destruction, but it didn't feel right. Their clothes where wrong and they were too sloppy to be Comstock's fanatics. Comstock's people would never have left him alive. These people had acted more like street thugs. But who else other than Comstock would want Anna?

When Booker finally did get to the address, he found it was a storage area filled with unusual equipment. But here and there he noticed parts that reminded him of the damaged Tear Machine in the Lutece Lab in Columbia. But this equipment hadn't been used in some time. Was there a version of Robert Lutece still in this reality? Or had he left to be with his "sister"?

He decided that it really didn't matter.

There were some things in the room that where not parts of the Tear Machine. The first of these was something he had never thought to see again, a Skyhook. Picking it up felt like shaking hands with an old friend. Close examination confirmed what he already knew. It was the same one he had used in Columbia. He really didn't want to know how Lutece had acquired it.

Beneath it was a stack of papers that contained a full set of instructions and plans to assemble the Tear Machine. He needed to acquire some new parts, but he knew someone that should be able to supply them. The last page of the instructions was filled with warnings. One of them predicted that the Tear Machine would have a limited life span and could burn out after only a short time. He understood the underlying warning. If he went through the tear, he probably wouldn't be coming back.

He didn't care. He had to find Anna.

The first thing he had to do was let Mary go. It was hard, Mary thought of Anna as her little sister and Anna loved her. But he couldn't have anyone else around for this work. He gave her three months' pay and promised her that if Anna did come back, she could return.

Next, he had the equipment moved into his house. He would have liked to have constructed it elsewhere, but it needed to be as close to possible the location of the original tear. He needed to reopen the tear in Anna's room since to would connect the place they had taken her.

The instructions estimated that it would take six to eight weeks to build the Tear Machine, but it took just under four, despite being slowed by his still healing wounds. He had gotten in the habit of reading some the books he had bought for Anna's library and had learned a few things. But the biggest help had come from Comstock's memories. Comstock had studied the Tear Machine and leaned much from the Lutece's and Booker put that knowledge to use. He hated even thinking about Comstock, but he was going to use every resource he had to find Anna.

When he first started, friends would visit often, but Booker had no other choice but to gently turn them away. There was no way he could allow them to enter the house. How could he explain it? They likely thought he had gone mad and if he told the truth, or they saw the Tear Machine, they would be certain of it.

Finally, the Tear Machine was ready. The device squatted in the remains of Anna's room like a monster and pushed up into the attic. He'd had to make some modifications in order to keep it from punching a hole in the roof and the floor had needed to be reinforced. Cables snaked all over the place with some running down the stairs to the engine needed to power the device.

All he had to do was throw a single large switch and it would all come to life.

He had planned ahead for this trip in every way he could think of, as he didn't know when he would be coming back. Days from now? Weeks? Months? He even made plans for if he showed up a hundred years from now. Plans for if he never came back. Plans for if only Anna came back.

He was going through this tear more prepared than when he went to Columbia. A leather shoulder bag packed with food, silver and gold coins, extra ammo and simple survival tools . He had even written himself a message in case going through the tear caused problems with his memory as it had done the first time. He didn't think there would be a problem, but he wasn't taking chances. His pistol and the Skyhook were the only other things he would carry.

One thing he couldn't plan for was how close the tear would be to Anna. Tears could drift both in time and space. Or at least that was what the Lutece's notes had said. He could be some distance from Anna and arriving many weeks after she did.

Taking deep breath, Booker threw the switch to start the Tear Machine and stepped back as far as he could.

It started slowly. First a spark here and there, then tiny bolts of electricity played over parts of the device. He glanced over at the dials and gages that monitored the machine's status and everything was as it should be. In a few moments electricity arced over the machine regularly and Booker felt like he was in one of Nikola's demonstrations.

And with a flash, the Tear opened.

Booker quickly studied the readouts and they confirmed that he had reopened the Tear, not created a new one. He now had the path to his daughter.

He walked to the Tear and studied it for a moment. It looked to be inside a building with lots of chairs and tables. A restaurant? Outside the windows it was dark and there were no people he could see. It was as good as he was going to get.

"Daddies coming, Anna. Hold on."

Booker DeWitt stepped through the Tear and into another place and time.

End Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 2

Booker stepped through the Tear and quickly surveyed his surroundings as he drew his pistol. What he saw more than bothered him. Bullet holes in the walls, rotten food on the plates, a dead body hidden under a table. Some kind of war was going on and his daughter was here, all alone.

At least it wasn't Columbia.

He pulled out the paper that said "Read Me" on it and quickly looked it over. Everything on it matched his memory. At least he would not have to be dealing with "tear sickness" this time around. He ripped up the letter and tossed the fragments away.

He glanced back at the Tear and saw that a fire had started in the remains of Anna's bedroom. He had stored everything of importance before he left, but knowing their home of three years of was going to burn was saddening.

"That's one way to keep secrets." he muttered as the Tear slammed shut in a burst of light.

He was looking for an exit when he saw something move outside of the window.

"Can't be." he whispered.

He started to look around for something, anything that would tell him where he was. A newspaper! He snatched it up and opened it. The name of the paper confirmed what he had seen.

He was back in the last real place he had visited before he had died to prevent the birth of Comstock.

He was back in Rapture.

Booker quickly scanned the paper for anything he could use. The date on the paper was September 27, 1958, but he could tell the paper was months old. That meant the year was probably 1959. At least year before he was here with Elizabeth. Or when he will be here with Elizabeth. Thinking about it was enough to make his head hurt. The paper seemed to be rehashing a story about the killing of a criminal named Fontaine by the local constabulary and what was to become of his property. There was nothing that he could see that might lead him to Anna.

He tossed the paper aside. Why here? Elizabeth had brought them both here after the Syphon had been destroyed and killed Songbird. Why would people from this city take his daughter? Did this place have a connection to Columbia?

'Not going to find any answers standing around here.'

He spotted the exit and headed towards it. The double doors were closed and a body was sprawled on its back in front of them. There was a key broken off in the door's lock and bullet holes in the doors matched the bullet holes in the corpse. He didn't bother checking the body to see if there was anything useful. Someone had already emptied his pockets. Looking at the body, Booker couldn't help but notice that it didn't look right. His face was distorted and his left hand had some kind of odd growths.

Leaving the body, Booker checked behind the counter and went back into the kitchen. There had been a fire here at one point. It still reeked of smoke and most of it was black with soot, but it wasn't enough to cover up the two additional bodies he found.

Off the kitchen there was a small area with lockers and a small table. On the table was a device that caught his eye. He didn't recognize it, but it seemed familiar somehow. He examined it for a moment before he realized what it was and why it was familiar. The Accu-Vox label on the device confirmed his suspicion.

"Huh, Rapture's version of the Voxophone. Wonder what's on it."

Jacob Murphy: I don't deserve this.

November 26, 1958

"I'm just a short order cook. I shouldn't be there. So I worked at a restaurant Fontaine owned. So what? I didn't do anything. I cooked food. It was a job. Why did they lock me up in here with these spliced up freaks?"

Spliced up freaks? Imprisoning anyone that worked for that Fontaine guy? He didn't like the sound of any of this.

As he had expected, while the front doors had been locked, the back door hadn't. The corridor outside was empty. Less damage here as well. Just some broken glass and bits of trash. Well, a lot of broken glass. Someone had smashed in the window of "Ben's Bargain Basement Shoes".

Booker avoided the worst of the broken glass and carefully climbed into the store and searched it. The store was mostly just racks and racks of shoes. All he found were a few coins and some small self- adhesive bandages. No bullet holes in here though. Maybe things weren't quite as bad as he had thought? He wished he could believe that for even a moment. Things were probably a lot worse than he knew.

He exited the shoe store and crossed to "Eva's Beauty". The place has been given a good tossing and most everything had been smashed. Here and there were burn marks as well as bullet holes. He found a body of a woman with a name tag that said "Eva". Above her body, presumably written in her own blood, was the word "hoarder".

"Seems this lady didn't want to share and paid for it." he muttered.

As Booker turned to leave he noticed something purple in the refuse. A very familiar shade of purple. He walked over to it and picked it up.

It was a bottle of Shock Jockey.

He could hear that stupid jingle of "Who needs the power company?" in his head. The bottle was empty, the dead woman had probably used to try and defend herself.

Now he had his proof. Rapture and Columbia *were* connected. Now he had to figure out *how* they were connected and what, if anything it had to do with Anna. He pushed down his anger and strode out of the shop.

There was nothing else on this level and the only way out was a set of wide stairs down to a lower level.

It looked like some sort of lobby and a display area that featured a huge window that looked out into the dark sea. As he walked down the stairs he noticed the general style of the decorations around him. Statues of people looked like they didn't have details and were made of steel. Other places there were complex patterns. Everywhere was metal, bronze, steel, brass or polished marble. He didn't really like it much. It seemed cold and empty to him. Comstock's memories coughed up the term "Art Deco" to describe it before he shoved them back into the corner of his mind. Unfortunately, the name of the art style was about all any of the Comstocks knew about Rapture.

He looked out the window and realized something that had been bothering him. When he was/will be here, there were lights and buildings all over. But now all he could see was rock and fish. Was this building isolated from the rest of the city? The Accu-Vox had mentioned being locked up, could this be the prison?

He looked over the mannequins in the lobby for a moment. They were mostly dressed in work cloths, but a couple had suits on. What he was wearing didn't quite fit in with the displays, but it wasn't too bad. He had found out long ago, if you act like you belong someplace, people will think you belong there and won't bother you.

There were a number of booths advertising various sundry items, more than a few of which he didn't recognize. The only thing of use he found was a newspaper declaring that Fontaine's Department store was to be converted into a prison. Booker was getting a sinking feeling in his stomach about where he was. One thing he didn't get was a criminal that openly owned a large department store? It was sounding more and more like this Fontaine fella had gotten someone in power angry. The last place to search "Ben's Bargain Basement Clothes"

Ben's didn't have much in of use to him. Lots of clothes, a couple odd posters asking "Who was Atlas?", but not much else. A back office had another audio recorder.

Walter Anderson: Good Riddance

September 13, 1958

Frank Fontaine is dead. Best news I've heard in a long time. Bastard had me over a barrel and he made sure I knew it every time we talked. Well, he's gone and I'm still here. It's safe to go to the cops now and I should be able to cut a deal. I know a few things they should be interested in and it should be enough to keep me out of jail.

"Huh. Sounds like Fontaine was not the most well liked person around." No surprise there. Those with power and money usually get it at someone else's expense.

Booker left the store and went to the doors to exit. He stopped though when heard a sound, something electrical. He looked around and spotted the source of it high in the corner of the room as it spewed sparks for several seconds before becoming quite again. Some kind of piece of equipment, a camera maybe? Someone had already put a few bullets into it and it didn't look like it was working. He would have to keep an eye out for others.

Out the doors and up a small flight of stairs to an area with various damaged and looted displays. Signs pointing back the way he had come from declared deals and saving in the "Bargain Basement" and good food in the Red Hat Cafeteria. At both ends of the room where large heavy metal doors with the word "Securis" stamped into them. An elevator with some kind of number lock on it occupied the wall opposite to the staircase.

The door on the right proclaimed it led to the Atrium and that sounded a lot more promising than Cookware which is what the other door led to. Booker walked to the door to the right, but quickly discovered that sparks were shooting from the door's controls.

"Well, they have Shock Jockey here, a shot of that might open it. Hope I can find some."

He turned back to the other door and pulled down the lever that activated it.

End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 3

Booker stepped into the Cookware department after the heavy door opened. Pots, pans, advertisements and various cooking utensils greeted him. He'd been a fair cook, but he didn't recognize some of the stuff here. An electric slow cooker? A Radar Range?

As he looked around he spotted something that didn't belong. Crates. Looked like someone had been packing or unpacking them. And here was what he was looking for, a bottle of Shock Jockey Vigor among the pile of broken glass.

He picked up the bottle, steeled himself for the effects and knocked back the Vigor. He had expected to start growing crystals out of his hands, but that didn't happen. Instead it was as if a flashbulb went off behind his eyes. When his vision cleared he could see a red glow fading from his hands. The stuff hadn't tasted like Shock Jockey at all. Booker looked at the bottle and realized that the small amount remaining liquid in the bottle was bright red, not purple.

"Did this spoil or something?"

*Hello? Is someone there?*

Someone close. Booker wheeled around looking for the source of the voice.

*What? How? What's happening? I don't understand.*

It couldn't be. That sounded like...

"Elizabeth?"

*Who? I can hear you. How do you know my name?*

"Elizabeth, it's me, Booker."

*Booker? No, no it can't be. I, I, you can't be him.*

"It's me Elizabeth. I'm here. I'm ok."

*Your real? You're... alive?*

"Real enough Elizabeth and very much alive." Booker looked around. "Where are you? Can't you see me?"

*I can only hear you. I don't understand what's happening. I'm, I don't know. *

Booker hated to ask anything of her, he didn't have the right, but he had to for Anna's sake.

"Elizabeth, please, I need your help. Anna's here someplace. She's only five years old." He couldn't keep the pleading tone from his voice.

*Anna? Your daughter? She's here?! How?*

"A tear opened up in her bedroom. Men in long coats took her. I couldn't stop them, I couldn't protect her." he finished sadly.

*Long coats. That sounds like Ryan's security goons.*

'What's a goon?' "Who is this Ryan?"

*Andrew Ryan. He's the man who founded Rapture. "A city without Gods and Kings, Only man." I don't understand what he would want with your daughter. He has plenty of children here to exploit.*

The disgust and hatred in Elizabeth's voice was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"Can you look through one of your doors to find her?"

*I, no. I can't do that anymore. I gave that all up to… I can't open or see tears anymore.*

It sounded like Elizabeth was right behind him when she first spoke, but now it was as if she where inside his head. "Elizabeth, where are you?"

*I don't know. I can just see and hear, that's all. I wish I could tell you more.*

"Elizabeth, you've been a big help already. Now I have an idea of where to look. Let's see if we can find some Shock Jockey that works. Can you move?"

*I think, I think I move when you move. Like I'm attached to you somehow. But why would you want some Shock Jockey? Don't you have your Vigors?*

"No, don't have my Vigors anymore. The door outta here is shorted out. Figured a shot of Shock Jockey might open it."

*Hmph, now where I have I heard something like THAT before?*

"Guess we have been through this before."

While hearing Elizabeth in his head was strange to say the least, it comforting as well in an odd way. He had someone with him with which he trusted his life, even if she was just a voice. What worried Booker was the anger in her voice.

Booker finished up his search of the crates. "Well, no Vigors here, but there is a Voxophone."

*There call them audio logs here.*

"Nice to know."

Yi Suchong: Recycling ADAM

November 18, 1958

ADAM in short supply and going to be shorter. Am able to recover ADAM from corpses, but there is problem. ADAM copy memory of dead person. Other person use ADAM, they have memory of dead person. Most time useless, but with right trigger, person can see memory. Stupid people think they see ghost. Hurt sales.

Having someone else's memories in your head? ADAM? Ghosts? "Elizabeth, do you understand this?"

"Elizabeth?"

*I, I need to need to think. I'll try to explain to later.*

Booker knew a brush off when he heard one. He had hoped that Elizabeth had stopped hating him for what he had done to her. For selling her. As he had feared, the underlying anger in her voice had been about him and he couldn't blame her. But if she helped him find Anna, it was enough. And if he could help Elizabeth, he would, no matter how she felt about him.

-Elizabeth-

'He's alive!'

A small part of her kept saying it over and over again. Her heart had soared when she realized that Booker was alive. She just wanted to hug him and not let go. She couldn't even think of what to say, to tell him. Then it all crashed moments later when he told her that Anna was in Rapture.

Rapture was no place for a little girl. Even Columbia during the Vox Revolt might have been safer. Booker hadn't wanted to ask her for help. It didn't take much to figure out why, he didn't trust her. She had killed him. She had held him under water until he was dead.

Even if it had been the only way to stop Comstock, how could he forget it? Forgive her? It didn't matter. She would help him find his daughter in any way she could. Would help *him* any way she could.

Then she heard the audio log from Suchong about ADAM copying memories. Until she had heard that, she hadn't considered what she was or who she was.

It was if she were looking at the world through Booker's eyes and heard what he heard. She didn't feel anything. Was she just a mental projection like the one she had created of Booker when she came back to Rapture? Some kind of Quantum echo? A bunch of ADAM memories? A ghost? Well, she couldn't be a ghost at least.

But what was she?

Booker had started moving further into the store. He walked around a corner and barely dodged back out of sight before a wall mounted camera caught him in the red glare of its light.

'Guess I don't have to warn him about the security cameras.'

The camera focused on the spot Booker had been for almost a minute before it shifted its view. Booker took a quick look around the corner and ducked back before the camera could catch sight of him. The camera had been placed so no one could walk across the area without being seen.

"Not getting by that thing."

*Booker, could you look up? There, those statues, they should be able to hold you. But we need to find an Air Grabber.*

As she said "Air Grabber" Booker lifted up something in his left hand.

*A Skyhook? Where did you get that?*

"Something Lutece left me. They must have thought it would make the experiment more interesting." Booker stated in a slightly irritated tone.

*Well, it's certainly convenient that you have it.*

"Elizabeth, why did you ask me to look up?"

*I can only see what you see. It's like I'm looking through your eyes. I guess, I should have told you earlier.*

He was silent for a moment before he responded. "That's... different. Now, let's see if that statue can hold me."

A quick run, a jump, they were in the air and then the familiar clash of metal on metal as the Skyhook latched onto the statue.

"Whew. Still feels the same." Booker hung for a moment, but there was the sound of metal creaking and then the statue shifted. "Time to go."

Booker dismounting quickly and landed safely out of range of the camera. He stood still for several moments and muttered in a pained voice "Going to have to be more careful if I do that again."

*What's wrong?* she asked.

"I caught a couple bullets when they took Anna. Got lucky, nothing important got hit, but things aren't healed yet. Just have to make sure I land on my right leg next time."

'He's wounded and didn't say anything?'

*Can you see a Circus of Values?*

"Circus a what?"

*Circus of Values. Rapture's version of a Dollar Bill machine. They have a big clown face on them. You should be able to buy a Health Kit from one.*

While Booker searched, she tried to figure out what to tell him and how to do it.

"That must be it." Booker announced, interrupting her thoughts. "And some doors. Maybe another way out of here."As he limped over to the Circus machine he started digging around in a heavy leather bag.

*What's that?*

"Planned ahead this time." Booker explained. "Food, some money, extra ammo. Columbia would have been easier if I had taken some supplies."

He held up a silver coin. "Think this will work?"

*It should. These things seem to take anything valuable. Rings, necklaces, even women's shoes.*

"Shoes?" Booker asked, as he bought a pair of Med Kits.

*Rapture is based on unregulated capitalism. Greed is a virtue here. These machines take nearly anything of value so they don't miss a sale. Everyone is out for themselves and everything has a price. Even children.*

Elizabeth noticed that Booker's hand clenched when she mentioned children.

'Stupid. Make him more worried about his daughter than he already is.'

*Do you know what the date is?*

Booker used the first of the health kits as he responded. "Early 1959, as far as I can tell. I think we're in a prison they made out of a department store."

More than a year until Jack arrives and Sally is free. *We are. Ryan turned this place into a prison and exiled Fontaine's supporters to it. Do you know anything about Fontaine?*

"Not much. Just that he was supposed to be rich, a criminal and dead."

*Dead? Hardly. Have you heard of Atlas?*

Booker thought a moment before responding. "I saw some posters with the name Atlas on them. But that's it."

*Fontaine is Atlas. The son of a bitch faked his own death and is playing at being a "hero of the people" to take down Ryan.*

"Take it you don't like this Fontaine much."

*He's a monster.*

Booker tested his leg. "Much better." He walked over and tried one of the doors. It opened a couple inches and hit something. The rest of the doors produced similar results.

"Must be barricaded from the other side. Any ideas on where to go next Elizabeth?"

*That door with the "Employees Only" sign looks interesting.*

Booker walked behind the counter and knelt down to look at the floor. "Drag marks. At least two sets, probably three. No blood though."

He stood back up and cautiously went through door into a large stock room. Three bodies, two men and one woman, had been laid out to the right of the door. Two had masks on. Elizabeth wished the last one did too. His flesh looked as it had melted and blue crystals erupted from his head and hands. Odd budges under his cloths suggest more crystal growths.

"What the hell? Elizabeth, do you know what happened to this guy?"

*Vigor overdose. That's happens to splicers when the use to much. Remember Slate?*

"Yeah, those crystals he had growin' on him. But he must a drunk a gallon of Shock Jockey." Booker paused a moment. "I didn't have anything like that on me in Columbia, did I?"

*No, I guess in small amounts there isn't a problem. It would probably be a good idea to keep Vigor use, or Plasmids as they call them here, to a minimum if you can.*

"You called him a splicer."

*That's the local term for people that use Plasmids. It refers to their genetics being spliced with new abilities.*

Most of the room was filled with shelves that held boxes of dishes and cooking utensils. As Booker searched, Elizabeth decided to tell him.

*Booker, does it bother you? That I'm just a voice?"

"After flying cities, shooting fire from my hands and going through tears, it takes a lot to bother me. Guess my notions of normal aren't very normal anymore."

'How can he do so calm about it?' She decided that it was best to just say it and get it over with. *Booker, I don't know if I am real. I may be just a bunch of memories you think is Elizabeth."

"Don't think so. I got plenty of memories and they don't talk or act like you."

*Booker, I, I'm dead. I died here in Rapture, weeks, maybe months ago.*

Booker stopped moving and looked up.

"I know you died Elizabeth." He said in an emotion filled voice. "But I know you're alive. Your real. I can't prove it, but please believe me."

*I would like to believe you, but I don't know how I could be alive or real.*

Booker closed his eyes, turning her world black. "If you only exist in my mind, then tell me how many fingers I am holding up."

*Booker, your eyes are closed. I can't see anything.* she stated in a slightly irritated voice.

He opened his eyes. "Three fingers. If you were just in my head or something, you would've known that, right?"

*I, you have a point there.*

'Why is he so sure that I'm real, that I'm Elizabeth? Does he know something? Was I wrong and he trusts me? How could he forgive me after what I did? '

As she thought, Booker entered a small office and found a audio log.

Al Rockford: Sending Another Little Sister

February 8, 1959

John, I sending a new Little Sister down to you. Yeah, I know you don't like 'em. This one isn't lookin too good already and if Atlas's people see her it will be a PR nightmare. And that's something we don't need with the fighting going on. Just let her do her job.

"Little Sisters? What are those?"

*Little girls with some kind of Sea Slug imbedded in them that produces ADAM.*

"ADAM? The other log mentioned ADAM."

*ADAM is the stuff they use to make Plasmids and Vigors with. I really don't understand how it works, but it's worth its weight in gold down here. Fink just used Sea Slugs. But Fontaine and Ryan use the Little Sisters to increase... output.*

"Elizabeth, what's wrong?"

*God Damn them.* How could she tell him? *Booker, they may have turned Anna into a Little Sister.*

"Is she alright, can it be undone?"

*She's physically ok. They do something to the Little Sisters' minds. She won't know you. She can be saved Booker, just... not right now. *

"What do you mean 'not right now'?" Booker demanded.

*I don't think the process to safely extract the Sea Slug has been invented yet. It will be, but not yet. I'm sorry Booker.* How could she have missed this! Why hadn't she seen either Booker or Anna in Rapture? Why hadn't she even known that Booker was alive?

'Just like with the Big Daddy that killed me. I didn't look, that's why.'

*Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe, they didn't make her into a Little Sister.*

"I hope your wrong, Elizabeth. Let's go find her."

Booker stormed to the door and yanked it open only to find six men in long coats pointing guns at him.

One of them smiled and said in a souther drawl "Well, if it ain't Booker DeWitt. How nice of ya to show up."

End Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 4

-Booker–

Booker froze. That was usually a very bad thing for him to do. But in this case it was a very good thing as it saved his life. He had six people with guns pointing at him. He knew that any move he made would be his last.

*Don't move! They think you're someone else!*

Someone else? Worry about that later. These people had the same kind of coats on as the people who took Anna.

The smiling man with the pistol continued "Now if you would just put yo're gun and bag on the floor."

Reluctantly, he carefully lowered his pistol and placed it on the floor, followed by his leather bag.

To Booker's surprise the men relaxed some as he stood back up. "Now that wasn't hard, was it? Yo're lucky I recognized you on the security camera. Otherwise we woulda filled you with holes. Yah know yo're not supposed to be down here."

Several of the men moved to pick up Booker's pistol and bag. The smiling man motioned Booker to move back. One of the men took special interest in his pistol saying it had been awhile since he had seen one like it.

The smiling man shook his head. "You and yo're antiques DeWitt."

"So what are you going to do with me?" Booker asked.

"Kick ya out of course. Unless yo're working for Atlas." The man pretended to look suspiciously at Booker.

"No, no. Not working for him." *Tell him your searching for a young girl.* "Looking for someone, a young girl."

"Not gonna find any down here, unless they're Little Sisters." There was a bitter tone in the man's voice as he mentioned the Little Sisters. "Sam, I'm going to run him downstairs so they can ship him back to the city. You continue the sweep. I'll wait for you by the elevators."

"Ok, DeWitt, let's get going." He motioned back the way Booker had come.

The two walked for a minute or so before the smiling man spoke again.

"So where you been DeWitt? Spend'n all your time at Steinman's or something? You look 20 years younger. Damn near didn't recognize you."

*Tell him yes. And that's why your down here, you need to pay off the bill.*

"Yeah, spent a lot of time at Steinman's, taking this job helps pay off the bill." Elizabeth sounded almost like she was embarrassed.

"Come on DeWitt, Ah know we're not best buddies or anythin', but we have closed a bar or two. Or did all the booze make yah forget my name is John."

"Sorry, been a bit difficult lately, John."

"Ah know why yo're down here. Yo're still lookin' for that Sally girl. Two birds with one stone."

*Agree with him.* Elizabeth said softly.

Something was definitely up with her. "Yeah, still looking. The other girl I'm looking for is about 5 or 6 years old. Dark brown hair, blue eyes. Her name is Anna."

"As I said, only girls down here are Little Sisters." John paused a moment. "Don't tell anyone, but I really hate it, what their doin' to those poor girls. Wish I'd never come here, but little late ta change my mind now."

Booker stood aside as John hit the control that opened the Securis door. And they walked to the elevator Booker had seen earlier. He stood back as John punched in the code to open it.

"4-0-7-6" Booker said to himself.

"Better call down and let them know your comin'. Some of the guys down there like to shoot first and not ask questions later." John explained as he pulled out something from his pocket.

"Hey Alex, sending somebody down. Sullivan was right, DeWitt did come down here."

Booker slipped around in back of the man as he spoke.

A tinny voice come from the device in John's hand. +"DeWitt? Can't be him. I saw his body two weeks ago. Big Daddy put a drill through him."+

John didn't get a chance to respond before Booker brought the Skyhook down on the back of his head and he dropped to the ground.

*He's still alive?* Elizabeth asked. She almost seemed surprised.

The voice on the device kept on calling out for John.

"Yeah, just knocked him out. Tryin' to avoid killing unless I have to. Got enough blood on my hands and I'd rather not have more. " Booker retrieved the man's gun, a heavy revolver, 20 rounds of ammo, some money and a health kit.

*Pick up the short wave.*

"The what?"

*The radio. It may prove useful.*

"Wonders of the future." Booker muttered as he picked up the device and examined it. It was only a moment before he figured out how to work it and the voice on the other end cut off mid word.

Booker went over to the elevator and hit the "Open" button and stepped into the cage.

*Where are we going?*

"Well, can't stay here, can't go down. That leaves up."

*I guess I need to explain a few thing.* Elizabeth said as the doors closed and the elevator started its assent.

"If you think you do. But let's wait until we have more time."

The anger had left Elizabeth's voice. Despite the remark she had made earlier selling children, she truly sounded as if she were concerned about him. It was what replaced the anger in Elizabeth's voice that concerned him now though. She was ashamed.

'What did you do Elizabeth?'

–Elizabeth-

'How am I going to explain what I did?' she thought as they elevator rose to the next floor. Would telling him the truth shatter what little trust Booker had in her? She didn't want to lie to him. Couldn't lie to him.

Booker cautiously exited the elevator into a lobby of some sort. There were two bodies on the floor. On the left side of the lobby was another Securis door, but even from a distance she could it was heavily damaged and would not open. There where various advertisements of ladies goods such a perfume and makeup. Signs declared this to be the entrance to "Ladies Tip Top Fashions".

Booker walked over and examined the two corpses, but didn't bother trying to search them. He seemed to be looking at something.

*What's wrong?*

"Color's wrong, too white." He reached down and turned over the body of the woman he had been examining over. "Nothing." He seemed both puzzled and a bit worried.

"I don't understand. I know they're pale, but this is Rapture. There's no natural sunlight down here.*

"There's pale, and then there's white. And these people are white because there is no blood in them."

*No blood? How do you, oh.* Booker certainly did have a history of producing dead bodies.

"When you've been dead awhile, the blood drains down the lowest part of the body. That didn't happen here. Also there are these small holes. That's probably where they drained her." Booker's voice betrayed his distaste.

He stood up. "So unless there is a vampire running around down here, someone probably drained these people of blood for that ADAM stuff."

*Vampires. Really Booker, you believe in vampires?*

"Not yet. But after seeing ghosts and the dead coming back to life, I'm keeping an open mind."

She almost told him that Lady Comstock had not been a ghost before she realized he hadn't been totally serious. It was almost of if he was joking with her.

"Then there are these marks on the floor. Footprints?"

Unbidden, the Big Daddy killing her flashed through her mind. *They're from a Big Daddy. The Big Daddies act as protectors for the Little Sisters. They're a little like a Handyman and about as tough.*

"This is getting better all the time."

He stood up and checked the counters for anything of use, but came up empty. "Anything you want to see before we leave?"

*No, I guess it's time to look at ladies dresses.*

"Lovely"

Booker went over to the Securis door and opened it. Unlike the Cooking Department the floor below, there was ample evidence of fighting here. Racks of cloths had been knocked over, some lights were broken, burn marks from plasmid use and bullet holes were scatter about. There didn't seem to be anyone around at the moment though. Elizabeth noticed that this ladies department was not as nearly as fancy as the one in the other building. 'Must be where the average people shop.'

"Hey! I thought I heard something" a man's voice called out.

'Guess there is someone here after all.'

"So what Ricky? You hear crap all the time." another voice responded.

Booker quickly ducked behind a rack of cloths as footsteps approached their location.

"Anyone there? Come out, come out. I know somebody's there!" Ricky called.

As the splicer walked around one side of the clothes rack, Booker quietly circled around behind him on the other side.

"I can smell you! Come out! Now!" he screamed just before the Skyhook slammed into him.

*I see you're still very good at being a thug.*

"Thanks a lot" he whispered back.

*Booker, you're going to need to be very good at being a thug to survive here.*

The splicer's only weapon had been a club. But he did have some money on him which Booker took.

"Hey, Ricky, where are you? Ricky?" called the other voice.

Booker shifted over a few racks and headed deeper into the store before stopping. This splicer wasn't dumb like Ricky and kept quite when he realized something was wrong. She wished she had her Peeping Tom plasmid so she could see where he was. Booker had a different idea. He dropped to the floor and looked under the racks of cloths.

The splicer was about even with them, roughly 15 feet over, moving very carefully to avoid making noise. Then there was a sound of the hammer of a pistol softly being cocked.

'And he's armed. What's Booker going to do?'

The fact the splicer was armed didn't seem to deter Booker the slightest and he worked his way around the back of the other splicer as he had the first, but stayed some distance away. She knew that getting too close would alert the splicer to their presence.

When he was in position, Booker quickly stepped out behind the splicer, his gun aimed at the back of his head.

"Don't move and you'll live. Try anything and you won't." Booker announced.

The splicer, who was wearing padded sports gear, froze. "You work for Ryan?" he asked.

"I work for myself. Now put down the gun."

"Easy meat!" the man yelled as he spun around.

Booker's gun roared twice and the splicer went down. "Damn fool." He said bitterly.

*Booker, he made his own choice.* She said gently.

He didn't reply as he quickly searched the body finding some ammo and jewelry.

Booker silently resumed his search of the area and found where the two men apparently set up camp behind a counter. He looked at the mess a moment and dismissed it, choosing instead to search the counter and discovered an audio log.

"Huh, Walter Anderson. Should be worth listening to." Booker mused.

*Why?*

"I found another one from him earlier. Worked for Fontaine and didn't like it. Was going to try to make a deal with the cops."

Walter Anderson: No Good

October 18, 1958

They didn't want to talk. I have all this dirt and they don't want to talk to me. I worked for Fontaine and that was it. Now I'm stuck down here in this hellhole. Had to start splicing just to survive. There's gotta be some way outa this place. I ain't dying down here.

"Sounds like his plan didn't work out so good."

*Ryan hated Fontaine. Anyone working for him got dumped down here even if they hadn't done anything. Unless of they were extremely useful, like Suchong.*

"Suchong? Same one from the audio log downstairs?" asked Booker he resumed searching the store.

*The same. He's an expert in Plasmids, ADAM and making Little Sisters. He had a deal with Fink for awhile.*

"Fink?"

*They traded information with each other. And stole from each other.*

"Humph, typical. Guess I will have to 'convince' this Suchong to cure Anna."

*No, he's dead. Killed by a Big Daddy."

"Then how can Anna be cured?" concern filled Booker's voice.

*There's someone else. Tenenbaum is her name. She went into hiding after she had a change of heart. She will come up with a cure, I just don't know when.*

They had come to a series of changing booths. They found a body, but nothing else until they got to the last room when she finally got to see what Booker looked like in a mirror.

*You look good, younger, but those clothes? Are those the same ones you had in Columbia?*

The face in the mirror twitched in surprise and Booker looked down at himself. "What's the matter with these clothes?"

*Never mind.* 'Men!' As Booker looked back at the mirror she noticed something seemed off.

*Booker, does the back wall look right to you?*

"No, no it doesn't. You think there is something behind it?"

*Possibly, Fontaine likes his secrets even more than the Vox.*

Booker searched, but didn't find a mechanism that would open the door. He then looked around the area for something.

"That counter. It has a clear view of this booth."

He walked behind the counter and quickly found a switch. Pressing it produced a slight buzzing sound and the back wall of the changing booth swung open.

*Think we will find a poster of your friend Sally in there?*

"She wasn't a friend. Just someone I knew." Booker said as he pushed the door all the way open.

The room wasn't that large, about 10 by 12 feet and plain. It was occupied by a table and three chairs. On the table were piles of pictures, a box of pistol ammunition and a clear bottle of yellow liquid that glowed with a light of its own. Booker walked over to the table and picked up the bottle.

"This will be a big help."

A moment later her vision flashed yellow as Booker drank the Infusion.

"Tastes a bit different than the one in Columbia. Don't think the shield is as strong, but better than nothing."

Booker picked up the ammo and examined the photographs on the table. They were of a half a dozen different women.

*That pile on the top right. I think that's Jasmine Jolene, an "exotic dancer" over in Fort Frolic. Rumor has it she was sleeping with Ryan.*

Booker picked up the indicated pile and looked through them. Several showed the dancer performing on stage, others shopping, one putting on makeup and more showing her daily life. One showed Jasmine practically draped over someone she recognized.

*Stop, the man with Jasmine, that's Ryan.*

Booker studied the photograph for a moment then put it down and looked through the other piles of photographs. They all had names on them. Anderson, Lei, McClintock, Smith, Campton. All the women where attractive and had at least one picture of them with Ryan. "Fontaine did his research."

*But why are these pictures here?*

"Someone would take the pictures and drop them here to be picked up by someone else. The people taking the pictures were probably women."

Booker looked around a moment. "Seems like a good place to talk if you want." He said as he sat down in one of the chairs.

*I don't know where to start. How to start.*

"At the beginning? After I…. was no longer there."

'Is that how he thinks of it, that he just, left?'

*After you, were no longer there, all the realities that Comstock existed in, or where he took Anna from ceased to exist. All the other Elizabeth's, they became a part of me. Everything they experienced, everything they felt. I don't know how to describe it.*

Booker closed his eyes for a moment before telling her to go on.

*I don't know how long I stood there. A minute, a month, a year? Just waiting to fade away as they did, but I didn't. Then the Luteces came and told me that one Comstock was still alive.*

"Comstock, he's ALIVE?!"

*He's dead. It's over. I ended it. This Comstock had left his own reality and wasn't erased like all the others. But he was the only one.* She was surprised at Booker's reaction. She had expected him to be surprised, but he had sounded scared as well.

"That's why you came to Rapture, to kill this last Comstock."

*Yes. After you.. died* There, I said it. *something happened to my Tear abilities. It was like the syphon was running again. I could sometimes see behind the doors, but only for a few moments at a time and it was difficult to open tears again. Making new tears was even harder, if I could do it at all. I arrived here in early October of 1958. It didn't take me long to find him, but he wasn't Comstock anymore.*

"He was calling himself Booker DeWitt."

*Yes. He didn't even remember being Comstock. The trip through the tear had affected his memory. He acted like you did after your wife died. Drinking, gambling. He was even a Private Investigator and had an office that looked like yours. He was pretending to be you. All to hide from what he had done.*

"What did he do?" Why did Booker sound like he already might know the answer?

*When he went to take Anna away, the Booker from that reality tried to stop him as you did. He had almost gotten Anna back from Comstock when the tear closed.*

*She was killed.*

Booker closed his eyes for a moment. "Her head was on Comstock's side when the tear closed."

*How did you know that?*

"I… remember all the other Bookers. They arrested him for his daughter's death. He hung himself in jail two days later."

'That's what he meant when he said that he had a lot of memories.' *Booker, I'm sorry.*

"Don't be. It's a small price to pay to make sure there is no Comstock."

*I guess it is. When I realized that Comstock had forgotten what he had done, I couldn't stand it. I was going to make him remember what he had done and make him pay for it.*

*I didn't care who got hurt in the process.* She couldn't keep the shame from her voice.

*Comstock had started caring for an orphan, a young girl named Sally. I, I used her to get at Comstock. She was taken and turned into a Little Sister. Comstock wanted to find Sally, so I used her as a lure to get him into Fontaine's Department Store. I was able to trick Comstock into remembering who he was, what he had done to Anna. And set it up so a Big Daddy would kill him.*

*I enjoyed it Booker. I enjoyed every moment of it. Watching the drill tear through Comstock felt GOOD.* She paused a moment *I never really understood what you said in the Hall of Hero's about taking pleasure in killing. I wish I still didn't.*

She didn't even try to keep the disgust and anger from her voice for this next part. *After Comstock was dead, I just walked away. I was so damn Happy with myself, I didn't even give Sally a second thought. I used her the same way that Comstock used me and I. Just. Walked. Away.*

*After that, the Big Daddy attacked and killed me. Well, I guess you could say he half killed me.*

"Half killed you? I don't understand."

*After all the other Elizabeth's vanished, I discovered I existed as a quantum superposition. It's like I was in two places at the same time. I was in Rapture, but at the same time I was someplace else. The Big Daddy killed the me that was in Rapture, but I was still alive in the Sea of Doors. After the me in Rapture died, I just went hid in Paris.*

"Paris?"

*Not the real Paris. One I created in my head. Imaginary. I pretended to be happy there.*

"But it didn't last." Booker said knowingly.

*No, it didn't. I had to die to do it, but I started to realize what I had done. I really don't remember it all, just bits and prices, but I decided that I had to go back and fix things. Pay my debt to Sally and help the rest of the Little Sisters. Bring down the whole damn place to stop it for good. So I made a plan. I can't remember much of it, but it worked. Or will work, it hasn't played out yet.*

"What was this plan?"

*I must have realized I couldn't directly change anything. Ryan was going to win. If I was somehow able to kill him, Fontaine would just take over. And if I killed him someone else would follow him, it would never stop. But Fontaine had a way to beat Ryan. He had someone *made* that he could control and use him to kill Ryan. His name is Jack. I hijacked Fontaine's plan so Jack will save the Little Sisters, gain his own freedom and kill Fontaine. But in order for everything to work, Fontaine needed the control phrase, what he called "The Ace in the Hole" for Jack. The only way to make sure he had this control phrase was return to Rapture and give it to him personally. So I came back here and gave him his "Ace in the Hole" knowing he would kill me the moment he got it.*

*And, he did.*

"And you couldn't you use a tear to distract or escape Fontaine?"

*No. When I returned to Rapture, I fell out of the superposition state. I became a normal girl, no tears, no looking behind the doors. I even had a pinky.*

"And that was the last thing you remember?"

*No, I had a dream I guess. Everything was bright and shiny. Then it's like I woke up and I could see through your eyes.*

Booker was quite.

*What are you thinking?*

"My gut's telling me something, but my head hasn't figured it out yet."

Booker being thoughtful was a change. Part of her was still thought of him swinging from Skylines. But it had been five years for him. She rather liked the more thoughtful Booker.

*Do you think killing the last Comstock was the right thing to do?*

"Don't know. He might have just rotted down here for the rest of his life. But what if he remembered and became Comstock? Took over this place? It would have started all over again." He paused for several moments and looked down at the floor. "Revenge rarely does anyone any good Elizabeth. I wish I had been able to tell you that instead of you having to learn it yourself."

*I don't know if I would have listened.*

"But you came back to help the girl, and to put a stop to this Little Sister thing. And you paid for it. Paid with everything you had."

*We DeWitts, we pay our debts.* It was the only thing she could think to say. She was a little afraid on how Booker would react to it though.

"That we do." He said with both pride and sadness in his voice. "Wish we would learn not to rack up such big ones."

*That's something you can teach Anna when we get her back.*

"Best be along to that now."

Chapter 4 End


	5. Chapter 5

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 5

–Booker–

Booker stepped out of the hidden room and back out into Tip Top Ladies Fashions. The talk with Elizabeth had cleared the air a great deal. Things weren't back to the way they had been before, but he felt it was much better now. Part of him had wanted to yell at her for the things she had done. But he realized that the reason he was angry was because she had made much the same mistakes he had.

And he hadn't been there to help her avoid those mistakes.

Elizabeth had died badly at Fontaine's hands, he could hear it in her voice. But she seemed to accept it and it didn't haunt her.

Part of him was proud at what she had done to fix her mistakes. Not that he felt any right to be proud, he still felt so anyway. Elizabeth had knowingly went to her death to help the Little Sisters. It took a lot to do that. He wished she hadn't made the mistakes, that she hadn't died to fix them.

Like father, like daughter.

Booker looked around the room and walked over to the counters and cash registers near the main door. Neither spoke as he searched. The registers had been emptied long ago, but he did find a bottle of Salts which he added to his inventory. He went over to try the door that had an "Employees Only" sign on it.

Elizabeth broke the silence first. *Booker, try to save as much ammo and Salts as you can. There's not much down here and I don't think you want to use the normal method for replacing Salt, or EVE as it's called here. Or use the Plasmids and Tonics.*

"Why is that?"

*You don't drink them, you have to inject them. And it doesn't seem to be very sanitary. I saw someone get blood poisoning from it.*

"Avoiding needles sounds good. What are those Tonics you mentioned?"

*Tonics alter a persons body to give it some new ability or improve a natural one. The Shield Infusion is a type of Tonic I suppose. But they have a lot more down here than Columbia ever did. Gene Tonics to make you stronger, faster, protect you from fire, increase your intelligence, even regrow hair.*

Booker tried the door, but it seemed to be jammed. "They seem to use a lot of this ADAM in Rapture."

*Huge amounts. The economy is based on ADAM. Which is why they kidnap little girls and turn them into ADAM factories.*

"Sounds a bit like how Fink used people."

*In some ways it's worse. You can do anything down here. So long as you have the money and don't challenge Ryan.* Somehow it sounded as if she had some personal experience with how bad Rapture could be.

Booker backed up and just as he was about to try and kick the door in when the radio came to life.

+"Hey, DeWitt, or whatever your name is. Can you hear me?"+ It was the same voice John had been speaking to earlier.

Booker spoke into the radio. "Yeah, I can hear you. What do you want?"

+"John's mighty upset at you. He doesn't like being suckered."+

"Tell John that he would be a lot more upset if I had killed him."

+"That's why I'm talking to you. It's clear you don't work for Atlas and your not a prisoner, so I thought I would give you chance to come down and talk. Lot easier than deal'in with the splicers up there."+

"Sorry, not inclined to trust you."

+"Didn't hurt to try. One question though. Why you pretending to be DeWitt?"+

"I'm not pretending to be him, he was pretending to be me."

+"What? That doesn't make any sense."+

Booker put the radio away while muttering "Welcome to my life pal." His foot slammed against the stubborn door and it gave way.

*I wonder why they tried to get you downstairs to talk. They didn't act like that before.*

"Easier to lure me into an ambush then it is to send someone up here to get me."

He walked through the now open door. To his right was what looked to be a number of offices. To the left a small stock room filled with racks of women's cloths. It didn't look like anyone had been in here yet.

*Comstock was using your name. Someone got to wondering why there are two Booker DeWitt's in Rapture.*

Booker though it wise not to mention that Booker DeWitt was Comstock's real name.

"Someone's interested. Maybe that Sullivan guy John mentioned."

*Sullivan is the head of Rapture Security. Comstock said he was a friend of his.*

"Great. Office first?"

*Yes.*

"I'd hoped to stay unnoticed for longer than this. At least the entire city isn't out to kill me yet." The first desk hadn't yielded anything of use and he moved on to the second.

*Day's still young.*

In the second desk he found a wallet with 50 dollars and an Audio Log.

He looked at the bills for a moment. "Ryan put his own picture on the money? Does he have big statues of himself around?"

*A few. He seems to favor plastering his face all over the place though. Ryan, Fink, Comstock and Suchong all seem to be very big on self-aggrandiztion.*

He decided not to ask what "aggrandiztion" meant and played the Audio Log.

Alana Schmidt : Shipping Errors

September 09, 1958

"These delivery people are really getting on my nerves. Half the time they bring something two months late or it's for someone else. This time we got lucky though. A crate from Suchong Laboratories. I stuck it behind Rack Three in the storeroom until it cools off. Don't let Grace know about it, she'll keep it for herself. Bound to be something worth a lot of money to the right person."

*That was right before Fontaine faked his death. That crate of Suchong's is probably still there.*

"It's not going anywhere. Let's finish up here first. What's this? Cheeky Pep Bar?"

*A kind of candy bar, but it contains some EVE.*

It sounded rather unappetizing at the moment. "Maybe when I need it." He said as he put the Pep Bar down.

The other two desks proved to be empty and they moved to a door with a frosted glass window in it.

"Looks like the manager's office."

Booker opened the door to find a woman's corpse hanging by a rope around her neck. *And the manager is still in.* Elizabeth said with a sad tone in her voice. He didn't have the heart to search the body, but the desk was another matter. It surrendered some potato chips, 35 dollars and a set of keys.

As he munched on the chips, he walked back to the store room and located Rack Three.

He had to push aside the whole rack to get at the small crate, but discovered a large green and stain on the floor beneath it.

"Something leaked." He said as the pulled the crate out and pried it open.

*Some idiot stored it upside down. And Ryan thinks he got the best and the brightest. Phff*

There were four plain bottles in the case each with a number on them. Booker picked up the first bottle and found it empty. But the dried remains of the vigor were a familiar dull green color. "Think this might have been a Charge Vigor. Woulda been nice." The next two bottles had dried traces of red in them. The last bottle was full of a glowing blue liquid. He carefully put it aside to continue searching the crate.

*Not going to drink it?* Elizabeth asked in a half serious tone.

"Like to have some idea what I drinking first. For all I know that could be something to turn your hair blue. Papers."

Booker looked at the papers, but they were stained with dried vigor making them hard to read. The last page was the one he wanted. Reading aloud "Lot Number 118, Security Bypass."

Reading down the page it describes the vigor's effects as allowing the user to be temporarily invisible to automated security systems after the vigor was applied to them. An upgrade that would make this invisibility permanent was under development. The vigor could also be used on vending machines and open electrically controlled doors.

"Sounds a little like Possession, but for machines only. Better than nothing at this point." He opened the bottle and drank it in one go. His hands sparkled a bright blue for a moment then faded. "Well, it at least they make them smoother down here. Doesn't seem to use much Salt either."

Elizabeth didn't see anything worth searching and he agreed so they headed to the three sets of double doors that led out of the store. Booker paused to lock the doors using the keys he had recovered in the office. As he did so, he answered Elizabeth's unasked question. "Will slow anyone after us down and concentrates them in one spot when they come through the one open door."

Booker left the last door unlocked and carefully slipped through it into a small promenade lined by small stores, about a dozen in all. Down the center were abandoned booths, chairs, overturned tables and large containers that held long dead plants. A huge skylight looked out into the black sea. He hunted cover when he saw several figures moving around in front of one of the stores and heard yelling.

He heard "Kill e'm! Kill e'm!" interspaced with weak cries of pain.

As he moved from one piece of cover to another he could see that two men and one woman had another man on the ground and were brutally kicking him. Booker had just gotten into position behind the three attackers when one got on his knees and started stabbing the beaten man with a knife.

Distracted as they were, Booker was able to swiftly render the woman and standing man unconscious without the kneeling man even being aware. Then he drew his pistol as the last splicer continued to stab the corpse.

*Are you going to kill him?* Elizabeth asked with a concerned tone in her voice. Booker had to admit it did tempt him somewhat. Instead he used the pistol to cuff the splicer alongside his head and knock him down.

Booker stepped back and leveled the pistol. The man glared at him with insane eyes and Booker wondered if he should not have had knocked him out too, but he needed information. He had really wanted the man the three had been beating. Saving the man's life would certainly have made him willing to talk.

"Tell me what I want to know and you can go."

The splicer continued to glare at him, but responded. "Whada want to know?"

"Are there any Little Sisters down here?"

The splicer wiped some of the blood spatter off his face. "One or two. Not stupid enough to tangle with a Big Daddy."

"Where are they?" Booker didn't like the way the splicer's left hand was twitching or the fact he was starting to smile.

"In the walls. Don'cha know anything?"

The splicer's smile was even bigger now and Booker shifted position to put a little more distance between them.

"Last question. Any of the Little Sisters had dark brown hair and blue eyes?" Something told Booker that this splicer was not the real threat, he was a distraction. He turned quickly and barely avoided being hit by a heavy pipe.

This splicer was bigger than the other one. Bigger than Booker himself and fast for his size. He only avoided the next attack by a hair's breath. Booker fired twice, staggering the attacking splicer. A single heavy blow from the Skyhook finished him. As Booker turned, his shield was stuck by a knife thrown by the other splicer. Despite the knife failing to do any damage, he charged at Booker. Left with no choice, he put a bullet between those insane eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with these people?" he angrily asked as he reloaded.

*Overuse of ADAM or being locked up down here. Many of them are no longer sane.* Elizabeth responded. *But the sane ones can be the most dangerous.*

Booker quickly searched both the dead and unconscious finding a single round for his pistol, three shotgun shells and eight dollar coins. Then he headed towards the first small store, "Robert's Confectionaries" to search it.

*Booker, you never told me what happened after you died.*

"Guess I didn't." he thought a moment. "Not much to tell. I woke up and it was October 8th 1893. Anna was in her crib safe and sound. No Lutece, no Comstock and I was 19 years old again. Like none of it had ever happened."

Robert's didn't have anything of use, so Booker headed to the next store, "The Smoker's Emporium".

*So what did you do?*

"Started cleaning. You know how bad it was."

*That's Not what I meant. You had people you owed money too.*

"Oh, them. They sent a couple people to break some of my fingers as a reminder to pay. I sent them back with broken arms. Two days later I they had their money. Still had to break a few more bones to make sure they didn't bother me or Anna again."

*Where did you get the money?*

The Emporium had nothing worthwhile and the smell from the tobacco bothered him. "Put my pistol in hock and visited the track."

Elizabeth's voice was shocked and angry at the same time. *You where gambling? Didn't you learn anything?!*

"Not really gambling when you got a good idea which horse is going to win." Booker said as he walked to "The Sugar Shope". "A couple of the other Booker's remembered the race results. Got nine out of ten right."

*Still, that was a big risk to take.* She said archly.

"I was careful. I did a dry run first to make sure the memories came close to what happened. Last time I gambled unless it was part of a cover."

He was about to leave "The Sugar Shope" when he spotted an audio log under an overtured table. The woman on it spoke with an accent, Greek maybe?

Eva Andros: Supplies

December 21, 1958

"Bob, I think they know I have been keeping things. I moved them to the green room and reset the code to 8726. Please be carful my love. Baxter grows more suspicious all the time. If we are caught you know what will happen."

"Hope Bob had better luck than Eva did. I found what was left of her earlier." He explained. "She had used some Shock Jockey to try and defend herself. Didn't work."

*You think she might have had some Shock Jockey in with her supplies?*

"Worth checking if we can find this Green Room store." Booker said as he moved to the next store, "Madam's Intimate Apparel". Booker hesitated before going in.

*Booker, I'm a grown woman, not a child. There isn't anything in there I'm not old enough to see.*

He opened the doors and walked in. Unlike the statues around the building, the mannequins in the store were quite realistic and were often clad in things that left little to the imagination. Booker did his best to ignore them as he searched the store.

*Booker, I never realized you were such a prude." Elizabeth said in an amused tone. *Women's clothes are a lot more comfortable now than they were 40 years ago. Undergarments especially. I never really realized how uncomfortable that corset was at times.*

The front of the store turned up nothing and he went to the double doors towards to rear. A sign over them proclaimed "For Her pleasure and His." Somehow he didn't like the sound of that. Booker opened the doors and was stunned by what he saw.

Mannequins dressed in leather straps, chains, masks and holding whips, handcuffs or other things he didn't really want to understand.

*Booker, I take it back.* Elizabeth said in a shocked voice. *I'm old enough for this.*

"I don't think I'm old enough for this either." Booker responded as he slammed the doors and turned his back to them.

For some reason she started laughing softly and he couldn't stop from joining in. It wasn't really funny, but it was. All they had been through and they could still be embarrassed by something like that. In moments both were laughing as hard as they could. After a minute so the laughter died out. Booker sat on the floor, his back against the door and neither of them spoke for a long time.

*Booker, I missed you.* Elizabeth said softly.

"I thought about you everyday Elizabeth. I wondered what happened to you. If you hated me."

*What a pair we make." she said sadly. "So afraid the other hates us, that they can't forgive.*

Booker thought a few moments. "Maybe, the one we need to forgive is ourselves, just a little. Enough so we don't hurt others. Friends, family."

*You remember Comstock, don't you?*

It really didn't sound like a question to Booker, but he hesitated before answering.

"Yeah, I do."

*And it scares you.*

"I'm scared I could turn into him. That I will treat Anna as Comstock did you."

Elizabeth took several moments before answering. *When I came back from Paris, I was unsure, scared really. So I created a Booker in my head to help me. Someone to talk to. To give me advice.*

"Did he give good advice?"

*Yes, he did. And the best advice he gave was to "trust yourself". Booker, YOU need to trust yourself.*

As Elizabeth spoke Booker stood up and walked to the door. "Good advice from someone I trust. Hard to beat that."

–Elizabeth–

She hadn't lost Booker. He trusted her. She had helped him. No, they helped each other. It felt right somehow. Like she and Booker belonged together. She wished she could be out there alongside him, but talking to him from here would be have to do for now.

Booker had checked another store while she had been thinking and had returned to the main corridor of the mall.

"Ahem."

She hadn't been paying attention and hadn't realized he was standing in front of a poster. A poster that featured her as "Cohen's New Songbird".

"Songbird?" he asked.

*NOT my idea, believe me! I needed money and I also needed to find out where Sally had gone. Cohen filled both requirements. I didn't have any skills.* Booker made a "humf" sound *Well, no skills that I could prove I had. I spend two months as one of his so called "disciples". It wasn't easy. Some of things he would do to people.*

As she talked Booker searched the remaining stores finding only a woman's watch, 18 dollars and 20 rounds of ammo. She identified the ammo being used in the local machine guns for him. He gave a short laugh and said it must be a constant. It was the same type of round Columbia had used for its machine guns.

There was nothing left to search so they headed to the doors that led to the Atrium and carefully passed through them. This Artium was similar to the one in the 1st Fontaine Store she had been in with Comstock, but a little wider and not was expensively decorated. She had hoped for Pneumo Tubes, but didn't see any.

Booker walked over to the banister and looked down. They were on the 2nd floor and it looked like the main floor stretched over to their right and around the building out of sight. She could see advertisements, displays, several store fronts and a deli. There looked to have been some heavy fighting and one of the stores had been destroyed by fire. She could see figure moving down there as well.

On their current floor there was a bakery and a stairway led to the main floor below and those above. Beyond the stairs was a pharmacy with some Rest Rooms further on. To the right was a bank of disabled elevators and "Fontaine's Sporting Goods".

A quick glance showed that the Atrium went up at least three more stories.

"Looks like we won't need the Shock Jockey after all."

*Even if we don't need it for the door, you're going to need it to survive.*

*Booker, do you have a plan to get out of here, I mean this prison we're in? And getting Anna back home?*

Booker stood still for a moment. "Uh, no. I'm sure we'll come up with something along the way."

*Some thing never change with you, do they.*

Chapter 5 End


	6. Chapter 6

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 6

–Elizabeth–

Booker was a little put out about for a moment her pointing out his lacks of plans, but quickly turned the tables on her. "And what plan do you have Elizabeth?"

*I'm, uh, working on it.*

"Riight."

*I do know where the Lutece Device is. It's in the "Silver Fin Restaurant" in another part of Fontaine's. That part of the store is up by Rapture and I'm sure it's guarded.*

"So we have to." Booker suddenly stopped speaking and crouched down. There were people in the bakery, one of them laughing loudly.

She couldn't tell how many there where, but Booker clearly didn't want to confront them and slipped back the doors to the corridor they had just exited and took cover in an alcove.

In moments five splicers ambled into view heading for the sports store. All wore a baseball jerseys with an "North Atlantic Sluggers" logo on them and some kind of protective gear like a football helmet or ice hockey padding. All but one carried a baseball bat and the last one had a bow and a quiver of arrows. They were talking about something, but she couldn't tell what. She did hear the term Ice Queen mentioned once. The "Sluggers" walked past the elevators and into the sports store.

Booker waited until they had entered the store before moving from cover and as he walked towards the bakery, he kept a wary eye on where the Slugger's had gone.

"I remember seeing a lot of glass walkways last time I was here. I take it we just can't walk out's here."

*No. We'll need to take a Bathysphere.*

"And those would be down on the bottom floor with Ryan's people."

*Yes. I'm not sure why they have people stationed here. Before they just had Fontaine's sealed off.*

"Probably afraid that Fontaine, "Atlas" might try to break them out to add to his army." Booker theorized as he walking through the door of the bakery.

*What a mess.* Everything in the front of the shop was smashed and broken. And there where baseballs all over.

"They were doing batting practice in here?"

*As I said, most people down here aren't all that sane.* she said as they moved to the rear of the shop where they found a battered body. Apparently the "baseball players" were trying to hit a ball and have the ball hit the corpse. A search turned up 10 dollars, a pack of cigarettes and a small ring. Booker tossed the cigarettes aside.

They left the bakery and walked to "Griffon's Pharmacy" and other that some bullet holes in the glass, it looked surprisingly intact. Booker apparently didn't like it any more that she did and took quick look into the store before backing out of sight as a motor started up inside.

"Turret* they both said at the same time. "Guess I get to try out this Vigor."

As the turret finished powering up, Booker fired a bright blue flame from his left hand at it and stood still as the turret swung towards him. The turret ignored him and continued its sweep.

Booker let out his breath. "Seems to work." The bypassed turret looked as if it was covered in bright blue flames. When the flames dimmed she knew the Plasmid would be near expiring.

They walked into the store and nearly tripped over three dead bodies. Booker quickly searched them netting only three pistol rounds and 28 dollars. None of them had been armed with anything other than a club.

*They must have been desperate to try charging a turret with only clubs.*

"Or crazy enough to think they could destroy it." Booker said as they moved past the turret and to the back of the store.

Booker started reading off some of the products on sale. "Cocaine, aspirin, morphine, penicillin, Ampheta Time, opium. I've seen what happens to opium addicts, it's not nice."

*Almost anything goes in Rapture. If you get hurt by something you buy, tough luck. You shouldn't have bought it.*

"These people would have loved how things were before Theodore got into the White House."

Behind the counter they found a makeshift bed still occupied by its dead owner. *Looks like he died peacefully. A rare occurrence down here.*

Booker picked up the Health Kit behind the counter and played the audio log sitting next to it.

Simon Griffon: Betsy

December 02, 1958

I never knew why I bought that security turret. Five minutes after I got it I wanted to get rid of it. Felt like a fool for buying it. It's saved my life I don't know how many times now by keeping those lunatics out of my store. (sigh) Don't feel well, left arm hurts. Going to rest. Betsy will keep me safe though.

They stood up and Booker looked at the back of the turret. Scrawled on the back was the name "Betsy".

'Too bad Betsy couldn't protect you from a heart attack.'

"Might be a good place to hole up if we need to." Booker said as he retrieved 121 Dollars from the register. Next tried the door to the back area, but found it locked.

*Still don't know how to pick locks yet?*

He walked back the body and started to search it. "Sorry fella" he muttered. "No, haven't learned to pick locks. Been rather busy. Here we go." He retrieved a set of keys and walked back to the door and opened it.

It was obviously the storage area for all the pharmacies' more expensive drugs. The walls were lined with them. And on the far wall, a bottle of Devil's Kiss.

"Finally." Booker walked over and opened the Plasmid bottle to check its contents before downing it. He blinked a few times. "A lot smoother."

*Booker, could you read the second shelf on your right? Yes, that one.*

"Take it you not doing an inventory." Booker said as he read the labels on the shelf.

*No, I think might be able to come up some kind of gas bomb for Ryan's people downstairs. Yes, everything I'll need is here. Going to have to be binary though.*

"Binary?"

*Yes. The two precursor chemicals will need to be mixed together as it is deployed.*

"And if we try to mix them together ahead of time?"

*We get a big cloud of gas in our faces, well your face.*

"Not a good idea. How much of these chemicals?"

*Four ounces and five ounces of liquid each.*

"One bottle inside another bottle."

*That would work.*

"Maybe not a bottle on the outside. It would break too easy. Porcelain maybe? He picked a small bottle and looked at the label. "Ok to dump this?"

*Yes, it's safe. How are you going to break the container if it's that heavy?*

"Shoot it. Bottles and the like were what I used for target practice when I was young."

*It's a bit hard for me to think of you as being young.* She said jokingly.

Booker didn't say anything, but continued to look around. 'I think I hit a nerve. If he wants to tell me anything, he will.'

"Nothing here. Didn't see anything the right size earlier. If there isn't anything out front, we'll have to go down to the main floor and hope we can find something."

They walked to the front of the store and looked it over, but there were no containers the right size or that they could fit the smaller bottle into. The Plasmid on Betsy had worn off so they had to say out its line of fire while they searched.

"Nothing." Booker said as he hit the Betsy with the Bypass Plasmid again.

*Guess we will have to look around more.*

They had just gone through the doorway when an arrow whipped past Booker's head. He backed up quickly as four of the splicers they had seen earlier erupted from either side of the doorway.

"Get 'em!" "Turrets down, it's ours now!" "You're going to die!" "I get his boots!"

Booker backed over to his left allowing Betsy a clear line fire. The first two splicers were taken down by Betsy and Booker put two rounds into the third before he fell. He quickly reloaded and charged out the door only to dodge a hard swung baseball bat. He wasn't so lucky with the arrow, but it didn't penetrate the Shield.

She hated this. If she was with him she could help. Maybe even make it so that Booker wasn't forced to kill them all.

Booker ignored the baseball wielding splicer for a moment and fired three time at the one with the bow and he went down. Deciding not use any more pistol ammo, Booker brought out the Skyhook and the splicers life was soon ended by a broken neck.

As Booker reloaded again, the light seemed to dim a little.

"Now we have to do something with the bodies." Booker said sourly.

Something wasn't right. Getting dark. Head foggy.

*Booker, something's...wrong, dark, hard... to...*

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth!" Booker's voice was distant, faint.

Everything in Elizabeth's world faded away.

–Booker–

No! She couldn't be gone!

Quite! Listen.

There.

Elizabeth was still there. He could just hear her. Like a soft mummer in the background, far away. He sighed with relief. There was nothing he could do to figure out what had happened to her or get her back.

Nothing left for him to do but start cleaning up.

Not much he could do about the blood, but leaving bodies around would attract the wrong kind of attention, even in a place like this. He was able to recover 78 dollars, a watch and a Teddy Bear. He stored the bow and arrow in the pharmacy. He hoped he would not need them, but better safe than sorry. He put the bodies of the five dead splicers in the ruined bakery where, with a little luck, they wouldn't attract attention.

He really didn't want to go to the lower floor without Elizabeth with him, so he decided to check out the sports store.

The dead splicers had been lousy housekeepers. A knee high pile of broken beer bottles in one corner, pieces or sports uniforms thrown all over and it didn't smell like they took baths that often. Anything that would have been useful as protection or a weapon was long gone. All the footballs, baseballs and other sports gear on the floor made it difficult to walk. He found a battered audio log sticking out of a pile of trash, but decided against playing it until Elizabeth returned. A bottle of "Hop Up Cola" replaced the Salt he had used.

He went to the back area and found what the men used for beds. The stock room had been cleared out of everything other than destroyed crates and boxes. The office had papers tossed all over the place and the safe had been emptied. He looked around, but something didn't feel right. He figured those splicers would have had more than what he had found on them. So where would they have hidden something? He walked back to the office and looked around again.

People hid stuff where they thought it would be safe. The Safe. He looked at the floor around the safe and saw heavy drag marks. Booker looked at the safe again. It was big and heavy.

"Hope moving this thing is going to be worth it."

A minute later he had moved the safe aside to reveal a hole knocked in the wall behind it. Inside was a bag of coins, an expensive bracelet and a baseball with a signature on it. 'Who is Babe Ruth?' He put the ball back and left the store. As he was passing the elevators, he heard Elizabeth again.

*uhn...booker? Booker!*

"Elizabeth, I'm here. Are you alright?"

*Sorry. For moment I, thought it was all a dream. I think I'm ok. What happened?*

"I don't know. You were gone for about a half hour. Well, not really gone, I could still hear you a little, like you were far away. Do you remember anything?"

*No, things just got dark and it was hard to think. Everything just faded away. Then, I'm back. It doesn't make any sense.*

"We'll figure it out."

*I hope so. It would be a problem if I had to tell you something important and I faded away again.* The irritation in her voice was quite evident.

*Well, anything happen out there while I was gone?*

"Found some more money and an audio log."

Walter Anderson: Worry

November 20, 1958

I can't stop think'n about it. Fontaine always had an angle. Always had a plan. What if he had a plan for this? Pretending to die. What would he do to the people that tried to sell him out when he came back?

No, no. He's dead. Just need to get more sleep. Be better after I sleep.

*I hope you and Anna are long gone from here before any more of Fontaine's plan is set in motion .*

"Not going to argue with that. Is there going to be enough to make two of those gas bombs of yours?"

*Should be. You think we'll need another one for when we get to Rapture.*

"The docks for those bathyspheres will probably be guarded." he said as he started walking down the stairs to the lower level.

*Booker, aren't we a little exposed?*

"Trying something a bit different. If I act like I belong, no one should bother us too much."

*That works?* Elizabeth asked in an unbelieving tone.

"Yep. When we were in Columbia, how often did we just walk around and no one said anything?"

*I guess that's true. At least until Comstock sent his people after us.*

"Well, I don't think anyone is nearly as interested in us this time around. At least not yet." he said as he reached the bottom of the staircase. There were dozens of shops and stores that sold everything from books to shoes to radio parts. Some of the storefronts where sealed with metal gates over their doors, but at least half were open. The doors that led to the cookware department where they had been earlier had blocked by a variety heavy objects including tables, desks, random equipment and what looked to be a ships propeller.

There were probably nearly two dozen people around, walking, talking with each other. Seemed like no one was looking for trouble. He hoped it stayed that way.

They walked in the direction of the nearest store, one that sold children's toys. Someone had gone through the place already knocking things off the shelves and smashing some of the toys on the floor.

*Booker, could you look at those dolls a moment?*

*That's the same doll that Sally has. Head fell off, but she never lets it go.* she said, a sad tone in her voice.

Booker really couldn't think of anything to say and left the store. As he did so a splicer with a blue piece of cloth tied over the right side of his face called out. He had a club, but it hung from a piece of rope on his belt.

"Hey, hey fella. How ya doing?"

They turned to face the man. "Doing well enough. Anything I can do for you, friend?"

"Oh, nuthin. Just don't 'member seein ya before."

"I try to keep to myself."

The splicers right hand twitched as if going for his club, but his left hand reached over grabbed it. "No, I TOLD you, don't do that. It's not right."

The splicer walked away, talking to his hand and telling it to behave.

They moved to the next store that sold shoes. "Wing Tips?"

*Dress shoes. I think you would look quite stylish in a pair of white and black ones.*

"Humf, Right."

*Booker, should you be talking to me so, well, openly?*

"Don't think it'll be a problem. Seems to be normal down here."

The shoe store had nothing to offer and they headed to the next one was "Wiserman's Exotic Foods." and it had been totally emptied out. This made Booker start to wonder about a few things. "Where does the food come from for this place?"

*Ryan keeps this place going. Probably only for public relations reasons though. He calls it "exile" rather than prison. He keeps the power going and the supplies it with oxygen. I wonder how much longer that will last with the war on though.*

"Hey fella!" a masked female splicer in a very low cut blue dress called out. "Looking for a good time?" The woman walked over to Booker and tried to put her arms around him. "Ohh, handsome one aren'tcha? I might give You a discount." she purred.

Booker deftly avoid the splicers embrace. Booker though she might have been attractive at one time, but even with the mask on he could tell that splicing had taken a heavy toll on her.

"Sorry, not today." He said politely, but with some force behind it. The splicer took the hint and walked away in as a seductive fashion.

"Well, when you're looking for something big boy, you know where to find me." she called over her shoulder.

*Hussy!* Elizabeth hissed.

Booker was a bit surprised at the venom in her voice. "She was probably going to try and pick my pockets."

*Really? Even back in Columbia half the women had their eyes on you. Or didn't you notice.*

"Really didn't care. Now, I got one little lady that takes up my time." he said as he entered a small book store named "Deep Sea Literature". The shelves were mostly empty, but there were still a few books. One or two had been knocked to the floor.

*Guess someone down here took up reading. I know how it feels.*

They walked to the back counter of the store, but didn't see anyone. A rack on the counter advertised "Latest Paper!"

"They get a newspaper down here?"

*Probably gets sent by the Pneumo Tubes. Even in prison money can buy certain things."

Booker looked into the small office in back. It had a desk and a single swivel chair whose occupant faced away from them.

"Sorry, didn't know…" Booker stopped speaking as he realized the occupant of the chair was dead. He used his foot to turn the chair around to see that the man had been strangled, the wire still looped around his neck. "This didn't happen long ago, only a couple of hours."

They had just started looking for anything useful when a voice called out.

"Hey, Thad! The paper in yet?"

Booker steeped out of the office to get a clear view of the two men that had walked into the store. Larger than average and both had pistols. 'Muscle for someone.'

"Sorry, but your friend is in no condition." Booker motioned with his hand and stood back out of the way.

The first muscle went to check the body while the other glanced in and turned to Booker "You do this?"

"No I didn't. I just found him. He's been dead a couple hours."

"I don't believe you. You did" "Sam!" the other muscle called. "He's right. Thad was done awhile ago. Better get up top and tell the boss."

"I think.." Sam began.

"No, you don't think, your no good at it." The other interrupted. "Now get up top. I'll stay here." Sam hesitated. "I said, Get Going. Capisce?"

*I wonder if these two put on a comedy act on Friday nights.*

The smart muscle waited a few moments for Sam to leave and looked Booker over with a wary eye. "You're new. Who you work for?"

"I'm an independent contractor. Look'n for a five year old girl, dark hair, blue eyes. Her name is Anna."

"You got some reeal bad info, buddy. No kids down here. Other than the Sisters and those little freaks aren't human."

"She might have been turned into a Little Sister."

"Then she's as good as dead and your locked in here with the rest of us now. You better get outa here. And make sure Sam don't see you." The man pointed to the door.

Booker carefully exited the store.

*He seemed rather rational for a splicer. And he has a boss.*

"Don't think he is a splicer. But that "boss" could be anyone. Some people hook their wagons to anyone they think is more powerful than they are. Don't think he's one of those though. Seems comfortable giving orders."

*This place is a lot more, well, sane than the other parts of Fontaine's were.*

"This is sane?"

*Compared to the other two stores, yes. The splicers there would attack anyone they didn't recognize on sight. Maybe there weren't as many Plasmids here to overdose on.*

They had just walked past a shuttered store that proclaimed itself as an official outlet for McClendon Robotics products and where outside "Rafael's Quality Suits" when Booker felt a vibration in the floor. A moment later, another one.

Footsteps.

Booker stopped walking and moved to the wall next to a large set of double doors. He noticed other people looking around. They clearly had felt the vibrations as well.

*What's wrong?*

"Footsteps, big ones. Feels a bit like a Handy Man. Must be one of those Big Daddies is around."

*Just don't get to close to him or to the Little Sister and he shouldn't bother you.*

"What exactly does a Big Daddy look like?"

*Like a man in a diving suit, except a lot bigger. Some of them have a big drill on their right arm and the others carry a gun of some sort.*

The doors besides Booker opened up and he turned to find a massive drill just inches from his face.

End Chapter 5


	7. Chapter 7

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 7

-Booker-

Surprised by the drill, Booker jumped back with a curse and Elizabeth made a sharp startled sound.

*Just get away from him! Don't do anything threatening!*

He backed off and put a heavy planter between himself and the Big Daddy. The Big Daddy ignored him and started walking down towards the far end of the promenade.

Booker studied him closely as he moved away.

*You're lucky a Little Sister wasn't with him. He would have attacked.*

"Doesn't seem to be very fast."

*When they want to, they can charge very quickly. And the drill… Can you get a good look at the drill arm?*

He changed position to get a better view of the Big Daddies right arm.

*The drill is different. I think this is a newer version. They may have given it some abilities I don't know about. Booker, please be careful around them. I don't want you to end up like I did.*

"I'll be careful, I promise."

The Big Daddy walked up to some kind of vent on the wall further down the corridor and pounded against it with his left hand.

*A heating vent. The Little Sisters hide in them and use them to move around to different parts of the building safely.*

As Elizabeth predicted a young girl appeared at the vent and the Big Daddy helped to the floor. Booker moved closer to get a better look. What he saw horrified him inside. She wore a torn red and white dress, her skin was unnaturally pale and looked paper thin. But the worst was her eyes. They glowed an unnatural yellow color.

The Little Sister dropped to the floor and started to walk about in her bare feet. "Come on Mister Bubbles! Angels don't wait for slowpokes." Her voice was weirdly distorted. He was relieved that it wasn't Anna, but the fear that she could have been turned into something like that felt as if it were crushing his heart.

*They're not suffering, physically at least. They heal from almost any injury in moments, so long as the slug is inside them. And the Big Daddy makes sure that no one can capture them to remove the slug for its ADAM.*

The Little Sister was rapidly looking right and left with a smile on her face. Like what she was seeing was different from what he saw. She had started to repeat the phrase "Three too many." Over and over again. The strange tool she had in her hand bothered him.

*Part of the conditioning alters their perceptions. They don't recognize people they knew or see the world as it. I hope they don't remember anything.*

Several of the splicers in the area looked at the Little Sister with hunger in their eyes, but made no move towards her.

"What's that in her right hand?"

*I don't know. Sally didn't have one. It looks a little like a giant syringe. You don't think?*

"Yeah, I do. One of those things made the holes in the bodies we found earlier."

The Little Sister had found something she liked and started dancing about. "This angel's filled with ADAM!" The Big Daddy went into a defensive stance and spun up his drill. Booker moved to get a better view of what was happening as the Little Sister got on her knees and started repeatedly stabbing the woman's corpse in front of her.

*god..*

"I'm a good girl, Mr. B!" She proudly proclaimed as she stabbed the corpse again.

He backed up a little as the Big Daddy seemed be paying to much attention to them for Booker's peace of mind. 'What's she going to do with the blood?'

Moments later he wished he had never thought of the question when the girl lifted up the syringe to her lips and started to drink the blood from it.

Booker turned and walked away before the urge to get sick overtook him.

*I..I didn't..…how, how could they do that?*

Booker thought he had seen the worst of human nature. The Bowery, Columbia, what he had done at Wounded Knee. But this? This was sick in a way he had never imagined. Even Comstock would have found it disgusting. He had to sit down a moment and tried not to think about Anna doing the same thing.

-Elizabeth-

'Oh God, Sally. She's out there right now doing the same thing. All the Little Sisters are. Anna might be. I didn't know. I Didn't Know!'

"Elizabeth, are you ok?"

*Booker, I didn't know. I swear I didn't know.*

"I think you might have."

*What?* she asked in a small shocked voice.

"You just don't remember. You died to put a stop to That." Booker's hand made a vague gesture towards where the Little Sister was. "Probably worse that we haven't seen yet."

*I can't imagine how it could get worse. But, I couldn't imagine That either.*

"Better get going." Booker said. As they started to stand up a splicer rushed over to them with an angry expression on his face.

"You! That's my spot! I'm gonna…." The splicer's voice trailed off as Booker finished standing up and the splicer realized that Booker towered over him by more than a few inches.

"Sorry, didn't realize this spot was taken." Booker was just looking the splicer right in the eye. "I'll just leave then." he said pleasantly.

The splicer took a step back. "Yeah, yeah, you do that."

The Little Sister and Big Daddy had moved down the corridor and they walked back to suit store, but a quick look inside showed that there would be nothing of use in it.

"Gotta be a faster way to do this." Booker muttered.

*There should be a map or directory around here someplace. Look along the center of the corridor.*

Booker looked for a few moments and his eyes fixed on a large sign further down. "That must be it."

They looked over the map for a few moments before Booker found something. "The Spice Rack."

*The Spice Rack? I don't understand. What do spices have to do with finding the containers?*

"You never learned to cook, did you?"

*No, Songbird always brought me food.*

"Many spices need to be kept in sealed containers to keep them dry and so they don't lose their flavor."

*And you cook.* she asked skeptically.

"Yeah, not a great cook, but Anna never complained."

The thought of Booker in an frilly white apron just didn't seem to fit her mental image of him. Anna. What was she like? How different was she from her? What was the same?

*Booker, what is Anna like?*

The question clearly caught Booker off guard and he didn't say anything for some moments.

"In some ways she is a lot like you when you first got out of the tower. She's happy, wants to look at everything, asks questions all the time, even when she shouldn't."

*Are you saying I was nosy?*

"A little." Booker said in an apologetic voice as they walked into the remains of The Spice Rack. The place was a mess. Most of the spice containers were knocked over and their contents spread all over. A glass counter was smashed and one of the display cases tipped on its side.

*Humph. Go on.*

"She reads well, when she wants too. She would rather be out running around and getting into things. Wears boy's clothes most of the time, more than a bit of a tomboy I guess(1). She's trying to learn to play the guitar, but it's not going well. She's nice, want's to help people, but doesn't let anyone push her around. The Jackson boy from down the street tried something and you gave him a bloody nose. If Mary didn't love her so much Anna probably would have driven her mad."

Booker shook his head slightly and picked up a spice container and fitted a small bottle into it. "This will work. Might need something to seal the top up with a little better."

*I remember seeing some glue up in the pharmacy. Who's Mary?*

"Anna's Nanny. The agency can take a lot of time and there are odd hours. I couldn't leave Anna alone."

*So you hired some middle aged lady with no children of her own?*

"Mary's 20 years old and quite smart. Anna needs someone that can keep up with her. Hum, another audio log."

Edith Butler: Just a Secretary

December 02, 1958

I was just one of the secretaries here. I would see Mr. Fontaine maybe once a week. I would occasionally take dictation from him. I didn't know he was into anything illegal. The other people blame me for being down here. I've been attacked twice. They hurt me. I think some of my fingers are broken. It's not my fault, why can't they see that?

"Fontaine leaves a lot of hurt people behind him."

*The ones that are still alive.*

Booker had picked up another spice container and tested it. "This should do it. Anything else you want to look at?"

*Nothing I can think of.*

They walked out the shattered spice shop and headed back to stairway back to the upper level. As they passed "Joe's Pizza" which still seemed to be serving food, they noticed three men walking towards them. In the lead was the smarter of the two men they had met in the bookstore. Sam was nowhere to be seen.

*Trouble?*

"Don't think so. They want something though." Booker said softly as he stopped to let the men approach.

She made a mental note to try to work out a way for Booker to communicate with her without making it obvious he was talking. The men walking towards them were watching everything around them but didn't seem to be nervous, just careful. None of them seemed to be spliced which struck her as odd.

The man they had talked to earlier called out. "Hey buddy, like to talk to for a minute."

She noticed that all three men where keeping their hands away from their pistols. They were going out of their way to avoid provoking anything.

"Sorry, but don't know anything more about what happened to your friend than I already told you."

"This isn't about that, Mister...?"

"It's DeWitt, Booker DeWitt."

"Well Mr. DeWitt, my boss would like to meet you. Please."

*Booker, I think we should go. Someone seems to be running things here and this man's boss seems to be him. Should be able to gain some information at least.*

"No time like the present." Booker said. They walked to the stairway with the man they had been talking too beside them and the other two in front.

As they climbed to the third floor Elizabeth saw that this wasn't a retail area, but offices. Three hostile looking men came out to watch them as they ascended to the next floor.

"Atlas's people. The stairs are neutral territory. We have the fourth floor, they have the third and everything else it up for grabs." Their guide explained.

"Don't seem to like you much."

"Nope. They think anyone that isn't with Atlas is with Ryan. We just want to get out of this damn fishbowl and back up top in one piece."

*I wonder how many other people just want to get out of Rapture?*

They reached the third floor and found a guard armed with a shotgun waiting for them and the corridor blocked off by a makeshift barrier. As they approached a door in the barricade was opened from the inside to let them pass. The two escorts went their own way while their guide led them off to the right past a row of empty offices and to floor to ceiling barrier which their guide opened.

Their guide opened the door at the end of the corridor and walked into the room beyond. Booker hesitated a moment and she noticed that she could see his breath.

*Booker, I think there is a Frosty splicer in here. They can freeze things, including people. Be careful, they're hard to kill.*

They walked into an moderately sized meeting room with a single large table in the room and eleven chairs around it. On the table where papers and maps and a schematic of the building was tacked up on a black board. She noticed there was ice all around the room, particularly on the chair at the opposite end of the table. Their guide walked over to one of the doors on the opposite end of the room and politely knocked on it. "Clarice, he came. His name is Booker DeWitt."

A female voice with an English accent responded "Thank you Martin, I will be out in a moment. Can you see if he wants anything to eat or drink?"

Booker shook his head indicating "no" when Martin turned to them.

Less than a minute later the owner of the female voice came through the doors. She was a Frosty, but very unlike the others Elizabeth had seen or heard off. Frosties always had large ice crystals growing out of them and were known for the beards made out of ice on their faces. This woman only had a few crystals on her other than those that replaced her hair and had no hint of a beard. While her skin was blue, it was smooth and unblemished. And a lot of that skin could be seen as she was dressed in glittering silver evening gown. Elizabeth guessed that the woman was in her late 30's and despite what the Old Man Winter plasmid had done to her, she was still more than a little attractive.

"Hello, Mr. DeWiit, I am Clarice Baxter, I apologize for not offering to shake your hand, but I doubt you would appreciate getting frostbite." She smiled in a friendly manner, but Elizabeth saw sadness in it. "Would you care for a seat?"

"No thank you, I'll stand."

"Martin, could you get a coat for our guest and one for yourself, please."

The door behind them opened and closed as Martin went about his short errand. The woman's glowing eyes focused on the door a moment and Elizabeth could swear she signed slightly before turning her attention back to Booker.

"No doubt you are wondering why I wanted to talk to you. The most important matter is if the method used to get in here, can be used to get out."

"Sorry, one way trip only."

The woman looked down in disappointment for a moment. "Well, too much to hope for I suppose." Martin came back wearing a hand made coat and passed a similar one to Booker who examined it a moment before putting it on.

"I suppose I should explain our situation. There are 33 people here that want to go home. And unless they get out of this prison soon, Ryan will kill them. We are lucky he has not done so already."

"These people did nothing wrong Mr. DeWitt. They either just happened to work for Fontaine, disagreed with Ryan's policies or wanted to go back to their homes on the surface."

"So you want me to help you and your people escape."

"My people, yes. Myself, no."

Martin spoke up "Clarice, you need to come with us."

"No, Martin. I am stable for now, but it will not last." The woman turned back to Booker. "I am the only splicer here Mr. DeWitt. I was able to keep the other's from splicing and sharing my fate."

*The second barrier we passed. She seals herself off from the rest of her people to protect them.*

"What makes you think Ryan is going to kill you?" Booker asked.

"Those fools below us. They are planning to break out and join Atlas's rebellion. When they fail or even if they succeed, Ryan will use it as an excuse to turn off the oxygen. You see Mr. DeWitt, I used to know Ryan, once considered him a friend. And like a fool I allowed myself to be talked into coming down here. That was when I was still "Lady Baxter". Even if Atlas's people don't do something stupid, Ryan will find a reason to kill us when he remembers we are here. It is only a matter of time."

"And you think I can get your people out of here."

"I believe you are my people's best chance. When I first heard of you I thought you might be able to help with some of our smaller problems. Those "baseball players" for instance. Yes, I am aware that problem no longer exists."

"What changed?"

"I have met you. You are not some gun for hire or cheap detective that makes a living taking pictures of peoples infidelities. You are something more." *Lady has good instincts.* "Can you help us? Will you help us? We cannot give you much, but what we have we will give to you."

*Booker, we have to help.*

"I'm going to have to think about it."

The woman looked dejected for a moment. "I understand. Martin, will you show our guest out please?"

*Booker! What are you doing! We just can't walk away!*

The two men left the room and headed back to stairs leading down. Booker handed Martin back the coat and turned to go down the stairs.

"I'll be back to tell you my answer within a day." he told Martin before he started down.

What was Booker doing? Just walking away and saying he would think about it? What's to think about?

*Booker. Booker!*

"Later, when it's safe." he growled in a low voice.

Elizabeth fumed as Booker descended the stairs towards the second floor and the pharmacy. As they passed the third floor, the three people that followed Atlas were joined by two more. The tallest of them called out to them.

"Hey, hey you! I wanna talk to yah."

*Booker, you better not.*

"Sorry, got some things to do. Maybe later."

"I'm not asking." said as he strode over to Booker. He looked as if he had intended to try and use his height to intimidate Booker, but found Booker was taller than he was and was not at all intimidated.

"I said, Maybe Later."

"No later, now." the man said as he reached out to grab Booker's arm. He froze an instant later Booker's Skyhook appeared just under his nose making it's distinctive whirling sound.

"You seem to have a problem understanding. Clear now?" Booker said in a dangerous tone of voice.

Sweat beaded his face as he stared at the Skyhook. "Yeah, yeah. I understand."

"Good, now move along."

As the tall man backed off, his friends started laughing.

Booker kept an eye on his back as he headed down the stairs and walked towards the pharmacy, but hesitated a moment.

*Mister DeWitt. Talk, Now.*

"I would like to help Clarice and her people, but knowing if we can help would be good idea. Also, Atlas's people are going to be a problem. After the Vox I would have thought you would be little more careful."

*YOU were the one who made the deal with the Vox!*

"And You were quite happy to go along with it if I recall. And remember how well it all worked out." he said acidly.

The anger drained out of her in an instant. *Yeah, I ended up killing Daisy to protect a child she was never going to harm.*

Booker changed direction and headed to the sports store as he spoke.

"Elizabeth, Fitzroy gave you no choice, she was going to kill Fink's son. She said so."

*No, Booker, she wasn't. It was a set up. She was only pretending that she was going to kill him.*

"Why would she do that?" Booker was right to be confused.

*The Luteces. They arranged it. All as an exercise to make me a killer.* She couldn't keep the bitterness from her voice. "And it worked perfectly."

"Elizabeth, please, tell me." His voice was soft.

Booker had entered the sports store and went into the back as she recounted the "deal" she made with Atlas and her trip to Columbia. Her overhearing the Luteces conversation with Daisy, the hair sample, Songbird imprinting on her, seeing herself and Booker in the elevator, Fink's laboratories.

As she spoke, Booker collected some of the makeshift bedding, some rope, some odds and ends, then headed back to the pharmacy. She hadn't been playing attention to what he was doing and only took notice when she had finished that Betsy had been covered up by a blanket.

*Booker what have you been doing?*

"Saving Salt and maybe setting a trap for Atlas's people. I'll explain later. How could you go to Columbia? It shouldn't exist anymore."

*It's hard to explain. To us Columbia is gone, never existed. It's our past. But for Rapture, it hasn't happened yet and won't for months. Once the syphon is destroyed and we come here to drown Songbird, it will vanish like it never was.*

"Can't we go help them? The younger uh, us."

*We can't help them because we didn't. We've caused enough trouble already, don't you think?*

"Humf. I guess we have." Booker had thought of something. She couldn't see his face, but she could still tell things about him.

"Elizabeth, do you know how many other Booker's the Luteces sent to Columbia?"

*I, uh never thought about it.* 'I didn't want to think about you dying.'

"I was the 123rd. The Luteces were using us. I can't count how many Bookers died in Columbia. When one of me died, they would just go get another. They tricked you into killing Fitzroy how many times?"

*I don't want to try counting.*

"They used us for their own purposes and as part of their experiments. They never cared about us. The only reason I got any help from them to come to Rapture was because I surprised them by being alive and that made the experiment more interesting."

For some reason Elizabeth was certain she had heard this before. But she knew she hadn't.

*I wonder what their real purpose was.*

"Doubt we'll ever know."

*So what's with the blanket on Betsy?*

"To keep it from firing when we don't want to. I figure Atlas's people are going to come down here sooner or later and when they do, I want them to think this isn't working. Also when we leave, I don't have to hit it with the vigor. I just pull off the blanket with the rope from outside."

*You think they will come after us?*

"Sure of it. The fool I scared off was sent to test me. I'm now a threat and they will either try to get me to join them or try and kill me."

*You intentionally irritated them so they would try and attack you.*

"Angry people make mistakes, which means I may not have to kill so many. And it draws attention from Clarice's people. I don't think the book sellers death was random. Takes practice to kill like that. It was controlled. "

*You think Atlas's people are escalating things against Clarice and her people?*

"The newspaper is the only source of information from the outside, right? Cutting off sources information is how you weaken an enemy with little risk."

*Fontaine had radios in the other building. He used them to communicate with Atlas's supporters in Rapture. These people probably have at least one as well. They'll be able to spread propaganda for Atlas and make it easier to turn people to him.*

"Hopefully that means they won't try to break out of here anytime soon. Now we just have to figure out how to get over 30 people out of this place without getting everyone killed."

End Chapter 7

(1) Very much inspired by a cartoon by Alligator-Jesie on deviantART.


	8. Chapter 8

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 8

–Elizabeth-

*How are we supposed to get over 30 people out of here and up to Rapture?*

She had been thinking so much about helping Claris and her people she hadn't really thought about How they would do it. Why hadn't she thought of that? And why did she get so mad at Booker?

"Yeah, that's the real problem. We should be able to take out Ryan's people, but moving everyone?"

*Normal bathyspheres only can hold six or seven people at a time. Some of them fewer.*

"Making a lot of trips back and forth from here to Rapture does not sound like a good idea."

*And we don't even know if Ryan's people have a sphere here to take.*

"So we need to find out what the guards have. Also their numbers and what kind of equipment they have."

*There are larger submarines in Rapture, but they can dock in only in a few locations. If we did manage to steal one, we could never dock it down here.*

"So we need a large number of smaller craft that can dock anywhere. Go up to Rapture and steal them?"

*Bathyspheres DeLuxe!* Should have thought of that before. Must be getting tired.

"What?"

*Bathyspheres DeLuxe, it's a showroom for bathyspheres in the other part of Fontaine's up by Rapture. Between that and the repair bays, there should be easily a dozen spheres, more than enough to transport everyone at once.*

"Isn't that where the Tear Machine is?"

*Yes. Ryan killed all the prisoners earlier, so there should be just guards there now. But I don't imagine that there will to many of them. It's also probably the best place to start to search for your daughter.*

"How so?"

*It's where they brought Anna to Rapture. They may still have her nearby.*

"Somehow, don't think we'll get that lucky."

*At least we have some kind of plan now.*

"Should we make those gas bombs of yours now?"

*No, I, better if it was done right before we use them.* Was it starting to get dark again?

*Booker, is there something wrong with the lights?*

He looked around. "No, nothing's changed."

*Damn. I must be fading again.*

"Is there anything I can do?"

*Don't think anything can…do….*

Darker now. Not fast as before. Music, would like to hear Booker…play….

-Booker—

"Elizabeth?" Hell.

He could still hear her, just like last time so she wasn't gone. 'Might was make this place a little more livable.'

He spent an hour straightening things up and moved the owner's remains off to the side where they would be out of the way. After 45 minutes he decided that Elizabeth would not be back soon and realized how tired he was. The turret was uncovered and he did his best to fashion a bedroll.

'Not the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on. Slept in worse places though.'

Booker lay down and was quickly asleep.

Booker woke and blinked the sleep from his eyes.

*Good morning, Mr. DeWitt.* Elizabeth greeted him cheerily.

"Mornin' Elizabeth. How long have you been back?"

*I think about half an hour. It's hard to tell how much time has passed. And I'm very happy you don't snore.* Her tone darkened. *How long was I gone this time?*

He got out his pocket watch to look out the time. "You "left" about 9, it's 5:30 now, about eight hours."

*That long? What if I didn't come back next time?*

"I don't think you're gone, you're just not... awake."

*You think I'm sleeping?* Her voice made it clear that she didn't believe it for an moment.

"Well, you were "gone" for about eight hours and the first time was just right for an afternoon nap."

*Pft. So what are we going to do today?*

Why doesn't she want to believe she could still be alive?

"Have to figure out how to tell Claris that I will try to help, but that I use Vigors, find where that Green Room place is and work at reducing the number of Atlas's people."

*Sounds like full day. Why are you worried about telling Claris you use Plasmids?*

"She doesn't like splicers. Remember when she said that she was the only splicer up there?"

*I see what you're saying. She doesn't trust splicers because she thinks they will all go crazy or change like she did.*

"So you want to go to "Joe's Pizza" for breakfast?"

*I know I never had a chance to try a pizza, but for breakfast?*

"I've had a lot worse, but doubt they actually have any pizza. Probably be lucky just to get some fancied up rations."

*What time is it? I mean Rapture time. It could be the middle of the night here.*

That brought Booker up short for a moment. He was still working on New York City time. But what time did Rapture work on? Getting the time wrong could cause problems.

"Have no idea. Guess we should find a working clock."

*Hopefully there is one down on the main floor.*

After carefully checking the area for an ambush and leaving the turret on guard, they went to Joe's only to find it closed. A sign said it would open a 7:00 am.

"Guess it's one of those Circus machines then." Booker lamented and started looking around.

*When do you expect Atlas's people to try something?*

"Either while I'm down here, or when I go back to the pharmacy. Probably down here though."

*So they can publicly show how powerful they are. Bloated egos.*

"Makes 'em easier" *to predict and manipulate.* she finished.

"That's one way to put it."

He saw the Circus of Values machine further down the promenade and started walking towards it. "Actually, I rather hope they try it down here. More cover and there are some statues up there I can use."

*Do you look every room as if you are going to be fighting in it?*

"Well, yeah. More as a habit than anything else. But down here it a necessity."

He went up to the vending machine and purchased some rations and milk. He then found a bench where he would have his back to a wall and could watch the staircase.

"Elizabeth, what's that "El Ammo Bandito" next to the Circus machine. It sells ammunition?"

*Sells ammo and you can sometimes upgrade weapons at them. If you have enough money of course.*

"And the Gene Bank is Rapture's version of the Vigor machines in Columbia. Or is it the other way around?"

*Fink and Suchong stole so much from each other it's hard to tell who invented what.*

Booker made a face when he first tasted the rations. He had worse before, but not by much.

*Don't taste that good, do they?*

"You could have warned me."

*Sorry. Since I don't get hungery, I guess I don't think about food much.*

A short time later they saw that there was activity on the third floor.

*And here come Atlas's people. I feel sorry for some of them actually. They are just fighting against Ryan and the horrible things he is doing. Fontiane is playing them for fools and they don't have any idea.*

Booker decided he had enough time to finish eating before Atlas's people got near and he studied them as they approached. Two of them where splicers, but it was one of the unspliced ones he paid the most attention to. He was armed with a shotgun and walked like a man who enjoyed violence and hurting people. He was clearly the leader. Two of the others carried pistols, but only one of them looked comfortable with it. The other one armed with a pistol was the same one who had confronted them yesterday and he looked like he had a score to settle. The last three had clubs and didn't look like they had much combat experience. Cannon fodder. With luck he wouldn't have to kill them.

*The one with the shotgun. He looks like someone who would work for Fontaine. A low class thug.*

"That makes me a upper class thug then?"

*All right, I take it back, you are Not a thug. You just dress like one.*

Booker chucked a little, got up from the bench and walked a short way towards the center of the corridor. He reached the position he had chosen earlier and waited. The few people in the area were making haste to get to safer locations.

Atlas's people stopped about 10 feet away, right where Booker hoped they would. The leader was in the middle, the two equipped with pistols a short distance on either side. Those with clubs were out on the flanks and out of the line of fire. Even if one had to be shoved and told where to stand. This made it difficult for Booker to try an escape back to the stairs if he tried. Not that he had intention of trying.

The leader called out. "Mr. Marks would like to have a word with you."

"Who's Mr. Marks?" Booker asked politely.

Several of the men snickered. "Mr. Marks runs things down here for Atlas. Everyone knows that. Now you going to come along? It's only a friendly chat."

"I'm not everyone. And your Mr. Marks doesn't run me." Booker put a little bit edge into his voice.

"Have your way." The man said in a friendly tone of voice and he brought the shotgun up and fired.

Booker hadn't expected the leader to be quite so fast and the shot gun blast broke his shield and hit him, but it was not a critical injury. Elizabeth made a small sound of surprise, but concentrated on staying quite so not to distract him. The Skyhook was in his hand and he was hanging from a hook behind his attackers before the two with pistols could fire.

As the group wheeled around in confusion looking for him, Booker was already plunging down towards the floor and their leader. The man had a moment to lift up his arm to protect himself before Booker stuck and the impact tossed his the dead body aside like a rag doll. The pistol in Booker's right hand fired twice into closest enemy who only managed to fire a single ill aimed shot from his pistol before he fell.

The taller one with a pistol fired, but missed Booker as he scrambled for cover behind a container with a small tree in it. As he waited for his Shield to recharge, the man fired several times more only putting holes in the container.

"Kill you! KILL YOU!" he was screaming as he fired.

Booker popped from behind cover for a moment to return fire, but missed. The idiot just stood there and fired once more before Booker moved from cover and put three bullets into him.

While this had been going on, the last of the three attackers had been slow to react and only had started to move towards Booker as the taller man died. Booker quickly reloaded as the three closed in on him. Booker lifted the pistol and aimed it right between the eyes of the closest one.

"This can go two ways. You can die or you can run. Your choice."

The man faltered and stopped. His eyes bugged out a little as stared of down the muzzle Booker's pistol. He dropped the club and turned to run. The other two did the same after a moment's hesitation.

*Are you ok Booker?* Elizabeth asked as he used one of his medkits.

"Yeah, had worse. Guy with the shotgun was quicker than I thought he would be."

Booker the picked up the shotgun and walked over to check the leader's body.

*Nice to see at least some of these people still know when to run.*

His search of the bodies turned up 14 rounds of pistol ammo, six shotgun shells, some crackers and 44 dollars. As he searched, people started coming out from behind cover and resuming what they had been doing as if nothing happened.

Booker ate the crackers and headed back to the Circus of Values machine and purchased two more health kits and another Salt. Then went to the El Ammo Bandito and upgraded the pistol so it would do more damage along with 12 more shotgun shells. His purchases had used up more than half the money he had been able to accumulate since the loss of his shoulder bag.

*Do you think they will try to attack us again?*

"Yeah, but not sure when. May try again soon or they may wait. What should we do with our two extra pistols?"

*Clarice's people may find them useful.*

"That's what I was thinking. In the meantime let's see if we can find that Green Room place."

They walked to the map and went over it carefully. "Nothing."

*Maybe we can ask Clarice when we talk to her.*

"I guess, let's go see if there is a clock or anything useful down here first."

*Would have been nice to gone with them to see what this Marks is like and get some information. But..*

"When we said "no" they would never have let us out alive."

After nearly half an hour of searching the before they found place with the correct time at "The Swiss Watch". While the shop was sealed behind a metal gate, they could see some of the stores products and the correct time. Booker's watch was only about an hour twenty minutes behind which was a minor surprise to both of them. They passed several doors but didn't take time to fully investigate them other than to see that they were either smaller stairways or led to utility areas. They also found the Securis door that Booker had wanted to find some Shock Jockey to open at the far end of the promenade. One of the vandalized stores yielded an audio log.

Walter Anderson : He's Alive

December 16, 1958

Fontaine's alive, I know it. He's here, somewhere, watching me. He knows I tried to sell him out. He's going to get me for it. Have to get some ADAM. Have to be careful, can't let anyone get close. Let anyone get the drop on me. Some ADAM will help me find him. Get him before he gets me. He could be anyone. Any One.

In the process of returning to the stairway passed by "Joe's Pizza". Booker took a moment see what they served and it turned out to be a short list that, as per Booker's prediction, didn't include any pizza.

*Well, at least the food here should be better than the rations.*

"Wouldn't take much. Think Clarice is awake yet?"

*Likely. There are more people down here now than when first came down. And they seem to be keeping their distance.*

"Word gets around. Let's go see the nice lady."

-Elizabeth-

Elizabeth couldn't tell if Booker had said "nice" or "ice", but didn't ask. Both worked.

As Booker reached the foot of the stairs, he paused to double check his weapons and started climbing.

*Booker, I think Clarice is sicker than she is letting on.*

"Oh, what makes you think that?"

*When we talked to her earlier she didn't move her left arm and left hand much. Nerve damage seems to be a common problem with splicers.*

"And that's why she is so desperate for our help. She doesn't think she's going to be around much longer."

*I think she is more worried about her sanity. Her power is what has kept Atlas's people from taking total control down here. If something happens to her, her people are going to be at that Mr. Marks mercy.*

"I get the feeling he doesn't have much."

They checked the pharmacy to make sure no one had tried to get in, but it seemed undisturbed. Then they headed up to the fourth floor. When they got to the third floor the guards backed off and one of them ran into the back and out of sight, likely to inform Marks of Booker's presence.

Booker didn't make any hostile moves towards them and politely said "Good Morning" to the closest one.

She thought being nice made the guard more nervous than if Booker had threatened him. When they reached the fourth floor they were coolly greeted by two guards. Booker asked if Clarice was available and was told to wait.

As they waited, Booker looked over the banister and down to the floor below.

*Checking on where to toss a few fireballs?*

Booker nodded. "Good defensive position, but a bad place to make an attack from." He said softly.

*You think we need to attack them.*

"Rather not. We need to get Marks, their leader. With him gone..."

*The group might fall apart.*

"Groups like this usually don't have a strong chain of command. The Vox were an exception. We need to get behind them somehow, inside their defenses." Booker thought for some time.

"How thick do you think the floors are here?"

*The floors? I have no idea.*

A voice came from behind them. "Dewitt, the Boss can see you now." They turned around to see Sam from yesterday. He had a sour look on his face, but didn't seem to be openly hostile as had been before. He led them in back without another word. When they got to the barricade which Clarice lived behind he picked up a coat and tossed it to Booker and told him "She's waiting."

After putting on the coat, Booker pulled out the two extra pistols and handed them to Sam who looked at them for a moment with a slightly dumbfounded expression on his face before he took them.

"Thought you might have a use for these."

Sam muttered "Thanks" before walking off.

*Really, what's his problem?*

"Probably doesn't like it I might be a better fighter than him."

They came to the door to Clarice's meeting room and Booker knocked on the door. After a moment Martin called for them to come in. Clarice was seated at far end of the table in the same location as before. Martin was standing a little behind her and was dressed in a coat and a pair of heavy gloves. Elizabeth noticed marks on the frost covered carpet. Someone had just moved a chair away from here Clarice had been sitting to a location further down the table. Booker took a quick glance at the chairs new position to tell her he had noticed it as well.

"So Mr. DeWitt, I hear you have had a busy morning already."

"I just wanted to get some breakfast."

"I get the feeling that Marks, he's the leader of the fools down there, is not going to that pass. You killed his leftenant. I do have a question though, why did you let three of them go?"

"Didn't need to kill them." Booker said simply.

That answer seemed to satisfy her. "And will you be able to help us?"

"Have some ideas. But I'm going to need information to tell if they will work or not. Even then, a lot of thing can go wrong."

"What kind of information?"

"Do Ryan's security guards have a bathysphere here? Are there any mechanics among your people or anyone familiar with Bathyspheres Deluxe. That's just to start."

*Maybe we should write them all down.*

"Guess I better make a list. But we need to take care of Atlas's people first. They are the immediate problem. What can you tell me about them?"

Martin spoke up. "There are only about twenty five now. But they have more weapons than we do and all of them can fight. Only about a dozen of us up here are able bodied. Marks also has some support from splicers on the first floor, but not sure how much."

"Probably a little less now." *What kind of weapons do they have?* What kind of weapons do they have?"

"More than a dozen pistols and five, uh four shotguns. We think."

*Good, no Tommy Guns. There doesn't seem to be nearly as many weapons in this part of Fontaine's as there was in the other buildings. Lucky for you I guess. Even you would have a hard time surviving long with just a pistol.*

"What do you know about Marks. He's the key."

Clarice answered. "Marks and his leftenant "Louie", now deceased, worked for Fontaine before they came here. They quickly took up Atlas's cause."

*No surprise there.*

"What does he look like?"

"Big, black hair. Knife scars on his face. Or that's what he claims." Martin provided. "Not much smarter than he looks. Bullies others most of the time."

*Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?*

"Might have overestimated Marks. If he commands by force, the loss of so many people might push him to do something stupid." Booker paused. "Sorry to be blunt about this, but how sick are you Clarice?"

"Hey! You have" Martin started, but Clarice stopped him "Martin, please."

Martin back off a little, but didn't look happy about it.

"If I may inquire, why do you think I am ill?"

Booker made a gesture to the woman's left arm. "Your arm. You don't use it much, do you?"

She smiled sadly "No, no I don't. I am much sicker than I appear Mr. DeWitt. My mind is not what it was and I am suffering from nerve damage. The only reason I don't have huge crystals of ice on me is because I melt them off."

*Ask if she thinks some ADAM will help.* "Might some ADAM help?"

"It would only delay the inevitable, but I would be more able for a time. There is precious little ADAM here now. Never much to begin with."

"Found a message from someone named Eva. Said she had hidden some supplies in a place called "The Green Room". She might have had some something."

"Eva? We banished her some time ago. She was stealing from the others, wasn't she Martin?"

Marin seems displeased by the memory. "Yeah, stealing and we never got even half the stuff back. Never heard of any place called The Green Room though. Sounds like the name of a porn shop."

*He means pornography shop, they...uh, I'll explain later.* she finished quickly.

"Worth a try. And just to make something clear.." Booker listed up his left hand and used Devil's Kiss to create a fire around it before extinguishing it a moment later. "I do use, uh Plasmids."

*You almost said Vigor's, didn't you?* 'Going to have to break him of that habit.'

Martin was surprised, but Clarice's eye's narrowed. "Mr. DeWitt, you may very well have doomed yourself. ADAM did this to me and will do the same for you." She gripped the table and the wood cracked under her fingers.

"For this job, it's worth the risks. Now the best way to end this with Marks is to attack him before he attacks you."

Cold. The wood shattered.

"Are you advocating an attack? That is suicide."

How cold can Clarice get?

"Not a frontal assault. Getting behind them is what we need to do."

*Booker, look at the table in front of Clarice. The wood broke because of the cold. If she can get the floor cold enough, it could be shattered.*

Booker looked at the meeting table. "How cold can you make things over a large area? Say about four or five feet?"

Booker's non sequitur caught both Clarice and Martin by surprise. "I do not see the importance."

Elizabeth could hear the smile in Booker's voice. "We get behind Marks by going through the floor."

"The floor?" they asked in unison.

"Freeze the floor and it should be able to be broken easily. Will need to test it first to be sure, but it should work."

Clarice and Martin looked at each other a moment before the woman responded. "My illness has weakened me. I don't believe I will be able to make a large enough area, cold enough for this purpose."

"If you had some ADAM?"

"Perhaps."

"Guess we need to find Eva's supply cache then. Can you show me where she was quartered and can we talk to her partner? Bob was his name."

*Ah, I get to see how you play detective.* This should be fun to see.

Martin made a face "Bob and... Guess I should have seen it. He left the day after Eva was kicked out. Went and joined Atlas's people."

"Just take me to where she lived then."

Martin hesitated a moment. "Go on Martin. We may be short on time."

"Follow me." Martin led them out of Clarice's rooms and down another corridor. Several people they passed looked at them curiously, but nothing more. Soon they came to a set offices turned into living spaces.

"Here it is, DeWitt."

"Call me Booker. Has anyone been in here since Eva left?"

"Naw, we have enough room so we haven't had to put anyone else in here."

The room had a small makeshift bed, a couple of pillows and several desks pushed into the corner of the room. Booker spent some minutes searching through things, but found nothing to indicate where the supplies she stole were or the location of The Green Room.

"She wouldn't have kept the goods with her. Too easy to find. But would want to keep them fairly close." Booker thought out loud.

His eye's focused on the blank wall ahead of them for a moment. It was painted blue.

"Not 'The' Green Room." *'A' green room. A room painted green.* 'So simple, it's hard.'

He turned around to speak to Martin. "Are there any rooms painted green nearby?"

"Uh, I don't know. Oh, I get it. Guess we should start looking."

It only took them a few minutes to find they first green room. It was an office with no furniture or decorations. Booker looked it over then dismissed it. "The room we are looking for would be furnished. Probably some kind of safe in it."

Two doors down was the next green room. It was another office and Booker quickly found a locked storage closet.

*Guess someone really did not like their office supplies being stolen.*

"Martin, found something. Let's see if this works." Booker set the code to 8726 and the door slid open.

*Eva and Bob were busy.* The closet held a bottle each of Shock Jockey and Old Man Winter, a box of Shotgun shells, three boxes of pistol ammo, three Health Kits, a bottle of EVE, a small pile of jewelry and a stack of bills.

Martin leaned into the closet and his eyes widened in surprise. "Crap. How did they get so much?"

"One would steal and the other one would cover." Booker said as he reached into the closet and pulled out the Old Man Winter along with the EVE and passed them to Martin. He took them, but looked at them sadly.

"Anything else you want in here?"

"No, nothing else. I guess that's your pay for trying to get us out of there."

Just then, a loud explosion rattled the corridor.

End Chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 9

-Booker-

"Martin! Get those to Clarice, Now!" Booker ordered. He grabbed the box of shotgun shells, a spare Health Kit, slammed the closet door and took off running to the stairs. When he got there he found a hole blown in the barricade, one of the guards on the ground and the other firing his pistol at a mob of screaming club wielding splicers as they charged up the stairs.

Booker dropped the Med Kit by the injured man and fired his shotgun repeatedly into the advancing mob dropping three of them and slowing the charge. Several of Clarice's people arrived and added their fire to his, killing more and driving them back.

As the mob retreated, fire erupted from below forcing the defenders to seek cover. Booker reloaded his shotgun and drew his pistol and returned fire, hitting one of the attackers.

"Where did they get a bomb?" Booker growled.

*With the right chemicals you can make explosives. If they can make one, they can make more.*

Something was wrong. Didn't feel right. "These guys are cannon fodder."

Booker looked to his left and grabbed the woman besides him as she reloaded her pistol. "Hey, are there any other stairways?"

Startled she blurted out "Two more back there, but they're blocked off!"

"Not going to stay that way!" Booker yelled at two of nearby men "You two! Come with me! This is a diversion!"

Obeying without questioning, the two men followed Booker into the hallway as another explosion sent vibrations through the floor. "Damn!"

"This way!" one of the men called and headed down a corridor on the left. As they came to a bend Booker slowed down to stop at the corner, but other men didn't. Booker grabbed one of the men, but the other was too far ahead and he missed.

"Stop!" Booker yelled futilely as he hauled the one man back and the other went around the corner. A second later there was gunfire. Booker let loose a string of curses.

*Why did he...? Poor fool.* Elizabeth said grimly.

Booker poked his head around corner for an instant and back under cover before anyone could get a shot off. At least eight of Atlas's people were in the hallway, one had a shotgun and a couple more with pistols. The rest had clubs and were running down the corridor at them.

The man who had gone around the corner was an unmoving lump on the floor just a few feet away.

Booker brought up Devils Kiss and leaned around the corner to throw it while firing once from his pistol. He couldn't tell if the hit anything, but the fireball certainly did, engulfing four of the enemy. But as they died, return fire shattered Booker's Shield and badly injured him. He quickly used a Med Kit as the man whose life he had save moments before looked at him more than a little fearfully.

When his Shield had recovered Booker leaned around the corner and fired off a quick shot and the return fire missed or was absorbed by his Shield. The first fireball had done its job and the attackers had withdrawn part way back down the corridor, but two more of them had come from the stairway below. 'Most of their people must be downstairs trying to come up that stairway. We can end this.'

He hurled another fireball at them, but only was able to injure two of them, one of them he put one down with a pistol shot a moment later. As he got back under cover he noticed that it was getting cold. He glanced backwards and saw Clarice storming down the corridor towards them, an icy fog preceding her. Large ice crystals erupted from her shoulders and arms, while her eyes blazed with a cold fire.

*Wow, she is MAD.*

Martin was following up behind Clarice trying to get her to slow down, but the angry splicer was ignoring him. Sam was following behind, blood dripping from an arm wound, but still clearly eager to fight.

Martin called out "Booker, please help me stop her!"

To the man beside him. "Take over, just try to keep them from advancing."

He intercepted Clarice, but didn't dare touch her. The only thing he could think of to slow her down was to use the Devil's Kiss to set his hand alight and wave it in front of her face like a torch. She stopped and glared at Booker.

"What do you think you are doing! I'm going to end this once and for all!" Her voice had taken on an odd echo.

Booker extinguished his hand. "We can end it. But if you try going down that corridor you'll be killed. Marks is probably right below us. We get him, we win. Understand?

"Clarice, listen to him, please." Martin begged her.

She looked at Martin and her expression softened and she relaxed a little. "My apologies, I still am not well."

*Her aggression level is rising. That's why she is scared. She's afraid that she will hurt someone if she can't control her of herself.*

"What do you wish of me Mr. DeWitt?"

"Stay with the plan. Freeze the floor so we can make a hole. That room back there. That should put us behind Marks. Then come and take my place. We need to keep their attention up here."

"I will do as you say."

"Thank you." He rushed back to the corner and lobbed a fireball at a wall down the corridor so it would bounce off it before exploding. A scream told him that the trick had worked well enough. Sam came up and fired his shotgun down the corridor while Booker replenished his Salts.

The attackers with guns were staying in back and sending club armed splicers up the corridor at them. Booker had emptied his pistol down the corridor before Clarice came to relive him.

"Remember, just keep them occupied."

He ran back to the room where Clarice had done her work.

*Booker, how are we going to break the floor?*

"That's one of those things I hoped to figure out with the test."

They got to the room and found the entire floor and out into the corridor was covered in frost.

*Nothing heavy enough in here. We need something that can apply a great deal of force in a concentrated area.*

Booker looked his shotgun. *Well, worth a try I guess.* She didn't sound all that hopeful.

They went into the room and Booker fired four times into the floor forming a square. He planned to make a rough circle of holes in the floor and then kick it break in. As he reloaded they heard a loud cracking sound.

*Uh, oh" Booker turned to make a break for the door. Before he could take a single step, half the floor of the room collapsed into the room below, taking them with it.

Booker quickly picked himself off the shattered remains of the super cooled floor. He was already cold enough to start shivering.

*This not exactly how I envisioned it happening.*

"Worked. Now let's hope nobody hear that." He finished reloading the shotgun and stepped out into the corridor.

*Floor plan seems to be the same at the floor above.*

Booker headed down the corridor towards the stairs that led up to the floor above and carefully checked around the corner. There were two men about halfway down, both facing the other way and armed with shotguns. At the far end of the corridor was a small group of several men and women mostly armed with clubs. They could hear the sounds of gunfire from echoing from the far end of the corridor.

Booker headed down the corridor as quickly and quietly as he was able. He wanted to take these two alive if he could.

One of the people at the end of the corridor chose that moment to look back down it to see Booker and he yelled a warning.

As the two men with the shotguns turned, Booker throw a fireball at them. The bigger the two grabbed the other and pulled him in front of himself to act of a shield as the fireball detonated.

*That has to be Marks.*

Marks pushed his now dead shield away from himself and raised his shotgun. But Booker was ready and fired first. Marks was hit, but didn't fall. His return shot broke Booker's Shield, but only did minor damage. Booker's next shot put Marks on the floor for good.

The man who had called the alarm raised a pistol and started firing at Booker, but missed. Booker ducked into a side office to allow his Shield to recover and drew his pistol. When it was back up, he leaned around the corner to return fire, but found it wasn't needed. The man with the pistol was on the ground being beaten by several people with clubs. The sounds of gunfire from above slackened.

*What just happened?*

Booker walked down the corridor towards them and called out. "Drop your weapons and surrender!" Two of the people did, but the last splicer ignored Booker and continued to hit the man on the floor. "I said drop it!" One of the men who had already dropped his club went and wrenched the club away from the splicer and tossed it to the ground. The splicer looked disappointed, but slowly put his hands over his head.

The sounds of gunfire from above had totally stopped and after a minute Sam called down. "You alright down there DeWitt?"

"Yeah, fine. What are we going to do with these people now?" he called up.

Martin called back "We can stick 'em in an office for now."

*That was fast. I expected them to fight harder.*

As the prisoners filed upstairs Booker explained. "These people were auxiliaries. Unwilling ones at that. They really didn't want to fight. Marks probably tricked them up here and forced them to fight for him."

*This fight wasn't about us at all.*

"Was going to happen anyway. Wonder why Marks was so desperate?"

*Wouldn't surprise me if Atlas had something to do with it. Booker, can you go back to the office we were in a minute ago? I would like to look around.*

Several of Clarice's people, led by Sam where coming down the stairs.

"Have to wait."

Booker went over to check on the man beaten by the splicer, but he was dead. Sam came out into the corridor and saw the body on the floor.

"Well, if it ain't Bob. Guess he got what he deserved. Come on. Still fighting at the main staircase.

-Elizabeth-

It turned out not to be a fight at all. As soon as Booker, Sam and the others showed up behind them, the last of Marks's people surrender without a fight. After that, they did a sweep of the entire floor looking for any stragglers.

Fifteen minutes later they were nearly finished so Booker told Sam to get himself patched up and that he would check the last few rooms. At the end of the corridors they found the body of a splicer hanging from the ceiling. Nearby was an Audio Log.

Walter Anderson: I've WON!

January 3, 1959

I'm going to beat Fontaine. I finally figured it out. I know how to win now. It was so simple. I'm going to beat him to the punch! I WIN FONTAINE! You hear that! I WIN!

Booker looked up at the body of Anderson. "Totally mad."

*Booker, I wonder if Clarice is right. That splicing is more dangerous than we thought it was.*

"Not much we can do about it now. If I didn't have my Vig"*Plasmids, Booker, say Plasmids.*

'Better start getting him to say Plasmid now rather than later.'

"Ok, ok. If I didn't have my "Plasmids", I'd be dead right now. I don't like it either, but is there another choice?"

*I, no. None that I can think of.* 'I hope we can find a cure. I couldn't stand to see him go mad like Anderson did.' *Just remember, Anna needs her father.*

They started back down the corridor when one of Clarice's people called. "Hey, you that DeWitt guy? Got something Martin said you might want to see."

Booker followed the man to an office where a scratch built radio sat. *Looks a lot like the other one up in the other store. See if there are any papers around. We may be able to learn what Atlas is doing.*

Booker looked for a few moments and found a stack of papers in a desk drawer. "All in code."

*Looks like the same code as before. I should be able to read them easy enough.*

Booker turned to the man at the doorway. "Could you ask Martin if he can find the person who ran this thing. He might be useful." The man left to talk to Martin.

*Why do we need the operator? I already know the code.*

"A good operator can tell who is on the other end by how they hit the key. We try to send a message, they'll pick up that's not the person they know down here."

*Your thinking of trying to trick Atlas's people into giving us information.*

"Yeah. Wish I had a better idea though."

*Still, that is very sneaky, Mr. DeWitt. I approve.*

"Let's see if it works first."

They looked around the room a few minutes but found nothing else of interest. Booker check his watch and discovered it as nearing noon.

"Better collect this and head up to talk to Martin and Clarice before getting lunch."

*Can we go check look at that room I mentioned before?*

"Sure."

'Why do I want to look at that room? Something I forgot when I can back to Rapture?'

They walked into the room and Booker looked around a moment.

"So what did you see?"

*I didn't see anything. Just had a feeling.*

"Well, let's try the back office."

It turned out to be a records room filled with metal filing cabinets. All of them where open and their contents scattered about.

*Sorry, I guess this was a waste of time.*

"Maybe not." Booker said as he walked to the far end of the room.

*Strange. All the rest of the file cabinets are open, except that one.*

Booker pulled on the handle, but the drawer refused to open.

*Locked?*

"Stuck."

And with the sound of breaking metal Booker tore the stubborn drawer open to reveal an Infusion and a small crossbow bolt.

Booker picked up the Infusion and put it aside to examine the bolt. "What's this for?"

*It's a tranquilizer bolt for a small handheld crossbow. Hit a normal person with one and it knocks them out cold. Believe it or not they use these on children.*

"I believe it." He said sadly. "Seems like this might be something worth keeping."

*Not going to drink the Infusion?*

"Figure I would give Clarice's people first rights. Be surprised they want it though."

Booker picked up the Infusion and left the office to go to the fourth floor. Instead of going up the main staircase, he chose the one Atlas's people had used. Passing the destroyed barricade and a guard, they were greeted by the sight of five of Marks's men entombed in blocks of ice and others burned by flames.

Before seeing Clarice and Martin they recovered the remainder of Eva's stolen goods.

*Going to hold off on the Shock Jockey?*

"Yeah, at least until we have to take down Ryan's Guards."

They looked over the jewelry for a short time and found several wedding rings. "I can't keep theses."

*I hope the real owners are still around. Didn't think you were quite so sentimental.*

"Still have mine. Not worth much, but it's about the only thing I have left to remember her by."

*Your wife? You know, you never mentioned her name.*

"Annie. Her name was Annie." Booker sounded both happy and sad.

*You named Anna after her then.*

"I... yeah. Better get going. They're probably wondering where I got too."

'Anna's mother, MY mother. Annie. Annie DeWitt. Sounds nice.'

Soon they were back in Clarice's meeting room. Unlike before, the splicer was furiously pacing the room as a concerned Martin looked on. The ice crystals on her had grown larger and she was opening and closing her left hand repeatedly.

"Please excuse my agitation Mr. DeWitt. I feel better when I am moving."

"How many people did you lose?" Booker asked.

"Three. And many others are wounded. I wish you had not killed Marks. I could have…" She paused to regain control. "It is good he is dead."

"What about the prisoners?"

"Many of them were dragooned into fighting for Marks. We will let them go. Several of them turned to our side while the fighting was still going on. The others, I don't know. We cannot run a prison."

*In a prison, worrying about how to imprison someone else. Bet that doesn't happen often.*

"You only should have to hold them a day or two if things go smoothly."

The splicer seemed to be slowly calming down. "Is there anything else?"

"Several things actually. Marks had a radio, I have the messages. I should be able to decode them given a little time and find out a little of what Atlas is doing."

*You decode them? Humf!* she told Booker in mock anger.

"Also found this." he brought the Infusion into view.

"Don't drink that." Martin warned. "That stuff kills people."

*Infusions can kill? I saw you drink over a dozen of them in Columbia.*

"Never had any trouble with them."

Clarice had stopped pacing and gave a hard look at Booker.

"Also I can't keep these." He brought out the three wedding rings and placed them on the meeting table. "Hope you can find the owners."

"Mr. DeWitt, may I ask a personal question?"

"Don't see why not."

"Are you married?"

*I don't like where this is going.*

"No, not anymore."

"And the girl you are looking for. I believe Anna was her name. Your daughter?"

*As I said, good instincts.* she said unhappily.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"No. It explains the risks you have taken and likely will continue to take. I can understand them."

"If that's everything?" The woman nodded. "I'll be heading back to the pharmacy to get to work."

"Your welcome to stay up here is you want." Martin offered.

"Thanks, but I have some odd work habits and would bother other people. I should be back tomorrow, say about 9?"

Martine and Clarice glanced at each other. "That will be fine. We shall see you then Mr. DeWitt."

*Be nice to stay up here, but you talking to someone that isn't there for hours is a bit difficult to explain.*

They headed downstairs, but when they got to the second floor Booker continued down to the first. "Going to try out the pizza place for lunch. Has to be better than the better than the stuff out of that Circus machine."

*How much better will be the question.*

"Only one to find out."

As they got near Joe's Pizza they could see frantic activity going on inside. Several people rushing around, looked like they were trying to get something ready as quickly as they could.

As Booker paused to look at the menu a man came out with a box of food. The man, who's name tag proclaimed him as "Joe", had a big, but slightly nervous, smile on his face.

"Here you go sir. Best of everything. Lunch and dinner. To go."

"But I didn't order anything." Booker replied clearly puzzled by the situation.

*I think they don't want to have you eating in there. Probably afraid of another fight.*

Booker took the food as he asked how much it would cost.

"Nothing at all. It's on the house."

*Free food? Down here?* 'They aren't looking to avoid trouble. They're scared of Booker.'

"Stay." Booker told Joe when the man started to back away. Joe stopped moving. Booker fished some money out of his pocket and put it Joe's hand. "Have a nice day."

It occurred to her that she really had never been frightened of Booker. Angry at him, scared for him, irritated with him, cared for him more than anything in the world. But she had never been frighted of him. Even when he dropped into her tower she had been startled by him, but not really scared. Not like Joe was.

*Not going to turn down free food?*

"I'm not a thief." *Ahem!* "Well, not like that. I'm not running a protection racket."

*How often are people scared of you? I mean like Joe was.*

"Not that often these days. Usually it's after they tried something and got me angry. Happened a lot more often before I went to Columbia."

*I bet.*

"You would win that bet. Intimidation has it's uses on occasion. Can stop trouble before it starts, but it can backfire. Rather not intimidate someone unless I have to."

They had arrived at the pharmacy. *Home, Sweet Home.* Booker Bypassed Betsy and went to the desk in back. He cleaned it off and set his food down. That was when she noticed it was getting dark again.

*This is getting to be irritating. Things are getting.. dark again.*

Booker got out his pocket watch. "Hm, your nap time is about 15 minutes later than yesterday."

*Booker, if.. I had feet I... would kick you...*

"I'm sure you would Elizabeth, I'm sure you would."

End Chapter 9


	10. Chapter 10

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 10

-Elizabeth—

It is like a black fog on her mind. She can't see, she can't hear, she can't THINK.

She is just aware that she is.

It lasts for only for an instant and the black fog slowly fades away and the world fades in to replace it. She can see, hear and think again. Thinking is slow to start with, hard even. But gets easier as time passes.

She could remember something. A knight in shining armor? Like THAT made any of sense.

She is looking at a desk, off to one side was the cardboard box they got from Joe's Pizza. Looks like Booker was done eating already. How long had she been gone this time? He was looking through the messages from Atlas to Marks. What was he? Ah. He was looking for dates. The newest messages were probably the most important.

*Afternoon Booker.*

"Afternoon Elizabeth. Enjoy your nap?" he asked as he got out his pocket watch to look at the time. She had been gone nearly 45 minutes this time.

*The dead don't need to sleep Booker.*

"But you do."

'Why won't he just accept that I'm dead? It will just hurt him more the longer he thinks I'm alive. Not really the time to talk about it now.'

*Looks like you want to do some of the decoding first.*

"Figured the more we know what's going on, the better the plan. Sure you can do this?"

*Let me see the first page and I'll show you.*

Three hours later, they most of the messages decoded and Booker was starting to go cross-eyed. He had been acting as her secretary as she did the decoding and in some ways she thought it had been harder for him than her. He had to be very exacting in following her instructions, what word to read and how fast to read and more. She wondered how many people would be so calm to have a dead person talking to them much less taking orders from one. Of course how many people would be calm about *being* dead.

Guess part of being a DeWitt was being adaptable.

The messages unfortunately gave them few clues to what was going on up in Rapture. She thought a newspaper would have been more informative. They did mention that Ryan's people were doing construction work inside the Fontaine's building up by Rapture, but other than that there was no information on it. And they learned why Marks had been so determined to take over the store. Atlas wanted a distraction that would draw off some of the Ryan's security people. Or if possible, pull off a breakout. The messages Atlas sent to Marks seemed a lot more informal than the ones she had seen in the other building.

And she had found out something about her current state. She had been able to decode the messages well enough, but it had harder than when she was alive. She could only concentrate on things for so long and her mind would start to wander. It was almost like she was a child again. If it got worse she would have to tell Booker, but for now she was able to deal with it.

Booker blinked several times and rubbed his eyes. "Think I need some time away. Never been much for paperwork. Want to take a walk?"

*Sure. Have any place in mind?*

"Couple of the staircases on the first floor seemed to go down. Might be good to see how far. And that set of doors the Big Daddy came out of."

As they left the pharmacy the Big Daddy and the Little Sister where walking into the bakery turned batting cage. The Bouncer lost his footing for a moment on a baseball before following the girl.

"That reminds me, the "baseball players" had a baseball signed by someone named "Babe Ruth" in with their valuables. Know the name?"

*No, but I didn't pay attention to sports. Who knows what splicers consider valuable.*

"Guess you're right."

*You play baseball?*

"No. Was thinking of taking Anna to game, but she would probably rather play it than watch it."

As they descended to the first floor she noticed there a fairly large number of people around. A few of the shops that had been closed earlier were now open. People milled about, talked with each other and shopped. It would have almost seemed normal except for the ADAM sickness. Some of the splicers would be talking to no one, two were fighting for no apparent reason and one woman was dragging around an adult sized mannequin dressed as a young boy.

*These people have tried to keep their society functional down here. To what purpose?*

"Maybe they think Ryan will let them go back to Rapture."

*Good luck with that.*

They headed over to the Circus of Values where Booker stocked up on Health Kits, EVE and ammunition. Then he went over to the Gene Bank to look at it.

*Looking to upgrade?*

"Not yet, checking what's available. An upgrade for Bucking Bronco?"

*Suchong copied that one along with Possession and the others. Guess he didn't have time to copy some of them such as Murder of Crows, Ironsides or Undertow.*

"Ironsides? Don't recall that one."

*It seems to be a variation of Return to Sender. I found it on the First Lady in Columbia. It was better at catching bullets, but you can't toss them back at the enemy like you could with Return to Sender.*

"Any other Plasmids I should know about?"

'Lot easier getting him to say Plasmids than I thought it would be.'

*Peeping Tom was another one I used when I was in the other store. I could turn invisible and look through walls to see things and people. It would make it a lot easier for you to sneak around. One Plasmid that people are using is called "Teleportation". They disappear from one location and show up in another twenty or thirty feet away a second later. Some of the people Ryan sent after me used it. Fighting them wasn't easy.*

"But you won." Booker said with a hint of pride.

*Yes I did. But I'm proud of it.*

"You didn't let them beat you Elizabeth. Most people would have just given up and joined Ryan. You didn't. Something to be proud of."

*I guess.* 'Too damn stubborn to give up is what you mean.'

*Now, there are injectable versions of Vigors, such as Electro bolt, Incinerate and Winter Blast. With the war going on in Rapture, I imagine a lot of people are spliced up now. They certainly will have developed new Plasmids since I died, so you're going to have to be careful.*

As they had been talking, they had walked down to the double doors the Big Daddy had used the day before. Elizabeth noticed that the splicers around tended to keep their distance from Booker as they had before.

Except one, and he seemed to be walking directly towards them. He was tall and more than a little overweight. He looked to be in his 40's and had dark hair starting to turn grey. The expensive suit he wore was a perfectly tailored and was accessorized with a top hat and cane.

*Would You Look At That.*

"First fat person I can recall seeing down here." Booker said under his breath.

*You don't trust fat people?*

"Not in a place where food is hard to get and they dress like that."

As the man approached, he put a jovial expression on his face and called out to Booker.

"Hello, there my good man. Might I have a word with you?"

"Don't see the harm." Booker said neutrally.

"Ah yes. I can see you are a man of intelligence Sir. I am Herbert Witherspoon, Esquire, at your service." he smiled broadly and took a small bow.

*Can this guy lay it on any thicker?* At first she had thought that he wasn't a splicer, but a closer look at him showed warped flesh on the man's neck and the back of his right hand.

"And what services can you provide Mr. Witherspoon?"

"Oh sir, a very wide range of services. I specialize in acquiring certain things that are, let us say rather difficult to get here at the moment. I also have time to time become aware of certain pieces of information that may prove to be very useful to a gentleman in your position."

*Smuggler and information broker. I wonder how much he sells to Ryan?*

"And where might I find you if I am need of your services Mr. Witherspoon?"

"Oh, I am around and about. But if you need to contact me just leave a message at Rafael's Suites. I believe you are familiar with the fine establishment."

*Booker, he's splicer, but isn't suffering much from ADAM sickness. Someone must be supplying him.*

"Yes, I am. Come to think of it, there may be something you can help me with. My original job is a bust, but someone else has come to my attention that I would like to meet while I am here."

"Ah, yes Sir. And what is the name of this fine individual?"

"He calls himself Booker DeWitt."

Witherspoon's pudgy face betrayed confusion for an instant before he recovered and a broad smile covered his face. "I don't recall hearing that name before, Sir. But, I Shall make some inquires. Might you have a description of this gentlemen?"

"Looks a lot like me I'm told," *Older and has white hair.* "but older and with white hair. You can leave a message at the Suit store if you find anything. We can talk about your fee when you have the information. Now if you'll excuse me, I have something I would like to take care of."

"Thank You for your time, Sir." he said as Booker turned away. "And if I may offer some Free Advice? Be careful down there. I wouldn't want to lose your business."

They walked through the double doors and into the wide corridor beyond. Booker stopped walking after the doors closed and examined the corridor ahead of them. Some of the lights were out, there was trash, old tools and clearing supplies left around. Puddles of water covered parts of the floor.

*So what are you planning to use Witherspoon for?*

"Feed bad information to Ryan's people. Couldn't trust anything I would get from him."

*That's what I thought when you said you were looking for Comstock. So he would tell Ryan's people and to catch him off guard.*

"Yeah, he knew who I was already. And I don't think Clarice's people told him."

*How often do you do that sort of thing? Say something to catch people off guard like that.*

"Depends on the job. Sometimes all I have to do it to get information people don't want to tell me. Other times it's just trying to put pieces of information together. On occasion I'm finding someone or something."

*Sounds interesting.*

"Not really. Most of the time I'm talking to people who would rather not to talk to me. I'm not exactly Sherlock Holmes."

*Sherlock who?*

"Humf. Comstock didn't allow his books into your tower. Sherlock Holmes is a popular fictional detective from England who uses 'deductive logic' to solve his cases. You would probably like 'em."

'Booker reading detective stories? I have GOT to hear the reason.'

*And why would a real detective be reading about a fictional detective?*

"Makes for a good cover. No one would think a real detective would be reading about a fictional one. Even got an idea or two from them."

*Well, I'll never get the chance to read them now. Let's get back to the real "case" we have.*

"It's always on my mind Elizabeth, you know that."

–Booker–

It was hard to hear Elizabeth when she talked about things she missed in her life. So many things she was never able to do. But he didn't think it would be smart of him to push her too hard that she was not out of chances to do those things. He could tell her what he knew and she would not think he was lying, but she wouldn't think he was right either. He needed some kind of proof to back up what he would tell her.

They started walking down the corridor and the difference in character struck him. This area was much plainer then the promenade on the other side of the doors. Painted concrete and unpolished metal dominated. There were electrical panels on the walls and cables running along the ceiling, some occasionally letting lose sparks or two.

The first room on the right had a stairway leading down to what looked like a workshop. But it was half filled with water from a large leak in the roof despite the best efforts of a pump in the room. The machinery was already badly rusted.

"Uh, Elizabeth. Is that safe?"

*Probably not. Comstock said these building are sunk beyond their design specifications and it causes leaks and pipe breakage. Looks like the pumps are able to keep up, so I don't think there is any immediate danger. Saw a lot bigger leaks in one of the other stores, but they hadn't flooded.*

"All of Rapture leak like this?"

*I never saw anything, but there were rumors of problems in other parts of the city.*

"Best be shut of this place before something happens that the pumps can't keep up with."

They went just a short way further and found large room filled with strange equipment the likes he had never seen before. Flashing lights, rapid clicking sounds, reels of tape, keyboards and stacks of papers everywhere. The doors to the room had been ripped open by something. Booker walked into the room looking over everything.

*I think these are computers. They are machines that can't exactly think, but can carry out a very large number of complex orders and tasks.*

"Like the Patriots?"

*Yes, each Patriot certainly had some sort of computer in them. But I sure these are much better than those were.*

"Hope these don't have guns."

*They shouldn't, but there should be some sort of security in here.*

"There was." he said as found the remains of a security camera. It looked as if it had been ripped off it's mountings. Next to it was the corps of a man dressed in ragged cloths with an empty box strapped to his back. Looked like he had been beaten to death. On the floor a few feet away was an Audio Log.

Edith Butler: Have To Protect Myself.

December 29, 1958

He wouldn't stop hurting me, so I MADE him stop. I not going let them do it to me anymore. Found a stash of Tonics. Made myself Strong. Going to hurt THEM now! Let's see how they like being on the receiving end. Going to go find more. Get stronger.

*I can understand how she feels, being helpless.*

"Everyone is helpless at some time Elizabeth."

*I have a hard time seeing you being helpless Booker.*

"I couldn't stop Ryan's men from taking Anna, Songbird tossed me around like a ragdoll and my …. let's say I know how it feels as much as anyone else."

*I guess you do. I wonder where she found those Tonics? Seems an unlikely place for them.*

"About as unlikely as finding an Infusion in filing cabinet?"

*Point.*

As they had talked, Booker had been searching the room but had only found a few dollars and a bottle of Hop Up Cola. The only place they had yet to search was a room with heavy glass windows that overlooked the computer room from above.

*You actually like the taste of that Hop Up stuff?* Elizabeth asked as he climbed the stairs.

"Not really, leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Right side first?"

*Why not?* *By the way, why do you ask me about things like that anyway? It's not like I have any choice in the matter.*

"Since you can't do anything on your own right now, thought you should a little say in what I do."

*Thank you.*

"You're welcome." He couldn't help but smile a little. Something so simple could make this place seem a little brighter.

There were three desks in this part of the room, one of which had something Elizabeth called a terminal built into it. He found one creme-filled cake, an Octo Vitamin Pep Bar, five dollars and a pack of cigarettes. Absent mindedly, he tossed the cigarettes into a nearby trash can and moved on to an alcove at the far end of the room.

*You don't smoke anymore?* Elizabeth asked sounding slightly surprised.

"No, quit. Found out that it made Anna cough. Damn hard to do it too. Never realized how addictive they are." "And what do have we here?"

In the alcove was a large wall mounted safe with a combination lock.

*When she gets older, can you make sure she doesn't pick up the habit. Please?* Did she sound a little embarrassed?

"Had planned on it. Any idea's on the safe?"

*Other than hoping someone wrote the combination down someplace or we can find a Hack Tool, none.*

"Hack Tool?"

*Something I heard about. It's some kind of tool that can open locks and reprogram or "hack" into vending machines to lower the prices. You might even be able to reprogram the security systems with one.*

"Sounds like I should get one of those."

*They seemed to be rather rare. If there are any here, they would probably be in the maintenance department.*

"Let's see what else is up here."

They searched the other half of the room and found a few shotgun shells and a dusty Audio Log.

William Pickering: The System

July 17, 1957

Mr. Fontaine wanted his own computers running his businesses and in his research labs. Didn't cotton to the idea that someone else could see what he was doing. So he brought me in to design and build them for him. And I did. Then I saw some.. things. Things I didn't like. I tried to break my contract, leave. But Fontaine had his people all over me, no way out.

Now I'm part of the system that runs this place as much as any of my computers are.

"No combination here. Guess we better move on."

They had just finished walking down the stairs when they heard voices from down the corridor.

"You sure he's in here?" a thin whiny man's voice asked.

Another deeper male voice responded. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"I don't like it here. There's water, dirty water. I don't like dirty water." A woman complained.

"Heh, you don't like clean water very much either. Don't worry, we get this guy and we're gonna be Rich!" The whiny voice said.

"Shut up both of you. He'll hear you." The deeper voice responded.

*A little late for that.*

While they had been talking in the corridor, Booker had quietly taken up a position behind the racks of computers opposite the door. It was a bottleneck and he should be able to hit at least two of them at once with the shotgun as they walked through the door.

"In here?" the woman asked to a stage whisper.

"No, he's supposed to be further in." the deeper voice replied.

The footsteps of the three passed the door to the computer room and continued down the corridor.

Booker carefully made his way to broken doors after a few moments had passed and took a quick look outside. He was able to catch a glimpse of the three as they turned a corner to the left further down. They could just hear the one with the deeper voice say "Off this way", but nothing after that.

*They weren't after us. Rather an odd feeling actually.*

"Guess it's a reminder that not everything is about us."

*I wonder who they are looking for?*

"Not really our business. Let's see what else is around here."

They slowly walked down the corridor and took a right down a smaller branching corridor the trio had ignored. They came to a door that had the label of "Break Room". Booker opened the door to find a small area filled with cheap looking table and chairs. On the tables where magazines, paper's, ashtrays and battered plates with spoiled food on them. Posters for Fontaine products and "employee reminders" covered the walls. Along one wall were several vending machines and a Circus of Values. In front of the one of the vending machines was a body.

As they approached, Booker could see this one was different than others. He was on his back and his hands were out in front of him frozen in clawlike pose. His face looked as is it had been burned, but there was little fire damage to his cloths.

*This is.. odd.*

"He's burned, but not his clothes."

"Electricity can cause burns. But it would take a lot power to do it.*

"Shock Jockey?"

*No, more than Shock Jockey can produce.*

"Must have been killed someplace else and moved here." Booker did a quick search, but found nothing. The room itself surrendered only a pep bar, a steel flask and some bandages. Booker opened the flask and took a sniff of it's contents and shook his head. Whatever was in it was strong.

"Don't think I would have drunk that even when I was still drinking." He put the flask on a table.

After that they went over to the Circus of Values where Booker looked over the contents and prices for a moment.

*What are you thinking Booker?* Elizabeth asked in a slightly suspicious tone.

"Just wondering what Bypass would do to one of these."

*Well, the papers you found did say that it would work on them. Might as well try now.*

A moment later the Circus of Values was surrounded by bright blue flames and he checked the prices again. They had dropped from what they had been before by a significant margin. And to his surprise a new selection for Machine Gun ammo had appeared.

*That worked better than I expected.*

"Odd that Machine Gun ammo isn't listed unless you hack it."

*There is probably some security of some sort that allows only authorised people to see it.*

"Atlas's people could be getting ammunition from these machines that Ryan's people can't. Or the other way around. Let's see what else is about."

They left the Break Room and found that the side corridor they had taken looped around to the main corridor again. Ahead of them was the corridor the trio of splicers taken. Booker glanced back up the corridor to the computer room and saw that there was a door they had not investigated. Another door to their right was blocked off by a metal gate.

"Better backtrack a bit."

*Don't want to leave anything behind?*

"Don't like the idea of someone being behind me."

They walked back to the door and found it locked. Through the window they could see several computers that had been taken apart and what looked to be repair equipment.

"Doesn't seem to be a way in."

*There's an air vent, looks like it leads to the Computer Room next door.*

"You could fit through that Elizabeth, I'm a little too big."

*Sorry. Guess I got use to crawling through vents.*

"Don't think there is anything in there anyway."

They headed back down the corridor and followed the path the three splicers had taken earlier. The corridor only went about fifteen feet and made a turn to the right. Only half the lights worked in this section and it was rather dark. They found a closet that stored cleaning supplies, but it contained nothing of use to them.

The next room looked like it had been a classroom or something similar. It was hard to tell as there had been a battle in the room. Tables and chairs had been thrown around enough force to break them and damage the walls. One table was actually partially embed in a wall. The body of a large man dressed in ragged cloths lay at the other end of the room.

*Never heard of a Tonic or Plasmid that could do something like this.*

"Whoever did this is a lot stronger than I am."

As they walked towards the body Booker realized he had been wrong. It was not man, but a woman. A horribly distorted woman. Her arms were nearly as thick as his own upper leg and her face looked closer to that of an ape. One of her hands was much larger than the other and her legs didn't seem to be the same length. Like the body they found earlier she had been badly burned, but the remains her clothes only had a few scorch marks on them.

"Now we know who did all this."

*The way she is.. changed is like nothing I heard of. I don't think this is from ADAM sickness Booker. Some kind of Tonic was designed to do this.*

"What worries me is what or who she was throwing everything at."

*And whatever killed her, also killed the other one.*

A few moments of searching turned up an Audio Log.

Edith Butler: I Strong.

January 18, 1959

Not going to push me out. My home now. I strong. Stronger than him. Can beat him. I Strong. I STRONG!

*Whatever she was using did more than just add muscle, it seemed to have caused her mind to degenerate.*

"Think now would be a good time to leave. I didn't come down here looking for a fight."

*Get no argument from me.*

As they walked to the door of the room, they heard the sounds of gunfire.

Then the screaming started.

End Chapter 10


	11. Chapter 11

Bioshock Infinite: Union

Chapter 11

-Booker-

When he heard the gunshots Booker drew his pistol and rushed to the doorway. Seeing the corridor was clear, he left the room but by then the screaming had already stopped.

*Are we going to help them?*

"Don't think anyone left to help." Booker said very quietly.

The gunshots and screams has come from a short distance down the corridor and from around a corner. He headed the other direction towards the doors to the promenade. He had taken only a few steps and a voice called out. It was deep, but distorted, like it came from a damaged radio speaker.

"You are nOt allowed to Leave. I have DEClared This."

The corridor from where the voice came from was getting brighter, as if someone were carrying a bright blueish light.

"Hey buddy, not looking for a fight." Booker called back.

"Fight? TheRe will bE no fight. Just an EXECUTION!" the voice roared and its owner stepped into view.

The splicer had huge glowing crystals jutting out of his back and shoulders. Smaller crystals grew out of his head arms and torso. Small bolts of lightning arced from crystal to crystal. His eyes glowed a hellish blue. The light from the crystals was so bright that he could not see details, but he splicer's flesh looked melted. The Jockey wore a tattered white coat and ragged pants that exposed more crystal growths on his body.

The splicer raised his right hand and a bolt of lightning shot out of it. Booker dodged to the side and fired his pistol back. The round hit the splicer, but didn't seem to have much effect.

"I have Evolved! You aRe Nothing to ME!"

Booker wasn't able to dodge the next bolt, but his Shield took the brunt of the attack. Still, he was nearly immobilized for a moment as the electricity played over him.

"You are weaK! And For THat you Shall DIE!"

The effects of the electrical attack wore off and Booker hurled a fireball at the Jockey and hit the splicer full on. As he screamed in pain Booker put two more rounds into him and ran around the corner pausing only to drop a Devil Kiss Trap.

"I SHALL Electrify yOur SOUL for THAT!"

Ahead of Booker were the doors leading out, but they were too far away. So he stopped and turned around just as the splicer walked around the corner and into the Devil's Kiss Trap.

As the Trap detonated engulfing the splicer in fire, Booker fired three more times, but thought he might have missed once.

"I will make yOur Death Long and painFULL wEakling! WEEEAKLING!"

The splicer held his hands up and electricity from all the crystals on his body flowed between them, building up a charge.

Booker's situation flashed through his mind in an instant. Shield down. Salt low. Pistol empty. Range was to great for shotgun. No room to dodge. No cover. Need to get out of the corridor now. Computer room.

Booker broke into a run for the doorway to the computer room as he reloaded his pistol. As he entered the computer room he glanced down at the splicer and saw a ball of electricity coming down the corridor at him. It looked very much like the ones loosed by a Handyman. Then ball hit the door frame behind him and detonated, catching him in the periphery.

'Damn! FEELS like something from a Handyman.' He quickly used a Health Kit and replenished his Salts.

"WeaklinG! You haVe sealed your Fate! I AM Evolved and all the weaklinGs here shall parish as yOu SHall!"

The Jockey was coming up the corridor after them. Booker took cover behind the banks of computers and unlimbered his shotgun. The splicer stepped through the ruined doorway and Booker stepped out from behind a computer, fired the shotgun and withdrew before a lightning bolt burned through space he had occupied a split second before.

"You, yoU SHall p, pay for ThaT!"

As he reloaded the shotgun, Booker moved down between the banks of computers, and as he expected the splicer charged the location Booker had just left. As the Jockey came into view Booker hit him with another fireball and shotgun blast. The Splicer let loose an ill aimed bolt of electricity that made a computer explode in shower of sparks as Booker fired the shotgun again.

The splicer staggered and fell to the floor, some of the crystals shattering as he hit. There was a blinding flash and bolts of electricity harmlessly shot around the room. Reflexively Booker reloaded the shotgun and approached the downed splicer to make sure he was dead. Carefully he rolled splicer over and got his first good look at his face.

*Good God!* exclaimed Elizabeth. Her voice sound odd to him.

The splicers face was a twisted mass of flesh that more resembled a melted candle than anything else. He had no ears and his nose was a sort stump with two slits beneath it. His teeth had been either covered or replaced by small crystals giving the impression of fangs. Even in death, his eyes still glowed a dull blue. Booker thought about closing his eyes, but didn't think he had eyelids.

"Think I'm going to put off using that Shock Jockey for a spell." he said in a soft voice.

*I think, that's a very good idea. I have never heard of the mutations from ADAM use being so extreme. First Edith and now him. The Jockey we saw downstairs wasn't nearly mutated as this one is. I wonder...*

Elizabeth's voice sounded more normal now, but still a little wrong.

Booker let Elizabeth think as he very carefully checked the dead splicer for anything he could use and came up with two bottles of Salt. EVE. As he searched the corpse, he noticed that the broken crystals would throw off an occasional spark or tiny bolt of electricity.

"So, what are you wondering about Elizabeth?"

*I think Suchong may have had a laboratory someplace in this building. We found several crates from his name on them already and we have two people that look like they have used some Plasmids or Tonics that were badly flawed.*

"And you think it's nearby and that we should go find it to make sure that no else ends up like him and Edith."

*Well, yes.*

"I was thinking that if I hadn't come down here this guy would still be alive."

*I.. Booker, you didn't come here looking for a fight.*

"But he's still dead. Let's get going."

*Booker, when the Jockey hit you earlier? Did you notice anything? I mean about how I sounded?*

"You did sound a bit strange when you first started talking."

*That's what I thought. When he hit you, my vison and hearing became distorted. The only thing I can compare it to is radio static. I'm wondering that if you use the Shock Jockey, it might have the same effect.*

"Guess I won't use the Shock Jockey then."

*That might leave you at a disadvantage.*

"Elizabeth, you're the biggest advantage I have."

*Well, just don't get to use to me being around.*

They walked back down to the corridor and Booker went to the Bypassed Circus of Values in the Break Room for another Health Kit. Then they went to the corridor where the Jockey had came from and quickly discovered five bodies. Three of them where the splicers they had seen just a few minutes before, while the other two had been dead for days.

A search turned up five rounds of pistol ammo and a single shotgun shell.

*Seems like people who were desperate come down here to try and beat the Jockey. They must have thought that he had something.*

"Or someone put a bounty on him."

*A bounty?*

"Yeah, maybe someone wanted him dead for some reason. Ryan, Atlas or somebody else."

*Is collecting bounties part of your job?*

"On occasion. Was something I did more the last time. Even then it was only for criminals."

They spent some time looking around the area discovering seven more bodies before they found the room the Jockey had made his home in. It was filled with shorted out electrical equipment and had wires strung all over the place with pieces of crystal hanging from them. The crystals gave off a eerie blue glow that illuminated the room.

*This place almost looks like some sort of strange art exhibit. Cohen would probably like it. Are those crystals from the Jockey?*

He reached up to touch one and got a slight shock from it. "Think so. Guess they fell off while he "evolving"."

A search of the dead splicer's home uncovered nothing of worth and they explored the rest of the area finding several storage rooms for parts, a large repair shop, a pump station and several offices. Booker's efforts only netted a small amount of money, a few more pistol rounds and a couple of cans of fish and vegetables. Elizabeth remarked that they would taste a lot better than the rations would.

In a mailroom they found the remains of a crate marked "Suchong Laboratories" that had been smashed against the wall. Broken glass covered the floor. It was certainly Edith's "stash".

One of the hallways had suffered a collapse from above and prevented further exploration. As they walked back to the exit and the mall beyond they passed a dimly hallway that went down fifteen feet and ended. Elizabeth asked him to stop and take a closer look at it.

"You have a feeling something is down here?"

*No. This hallway makes no sense from a structural standpoint. It doesn't need to be here. And considering how badly Suchong hid his lab in Artemis Suites, it seems likely that he do a poor job here as well.*

They walked down the short hallway and examined the wall at the dead end. "Nothing here or it's well hidden."

Booker turned around and started looking at the floor. There was dust at the end of the hallway, but none further up towards its beginning. Then he crouched down to get a better angle.

*What are we looking at? Ooor not looking at?*

"Dust."

*Dust?*

"When you walk you leave a track. How much of a track depends on what you're walking in. Here it's dust."

*Pick that up reading a Sherlock Holmes story?* Elizabeth asked in a teasing tone.

"Huh, no, hunting. Same basic rules, just a different environment."

*I see what you're talking about. There's a path in the dust.*

In a few moments Booker pushed the hidden button to open the disguised door in front of them.

-Elizabeth-

As the door slid open the lights revealed equipment, beaker's, test tubes, chalk boards full of equations and disorganized piles of papers.

*What a mess. Could you look at some of the papers on that counter to the right?*

Booker obliged and spent several minutes looking though papers under her direction.

*Well, this isn't Suchong's handwriting and it's not even in code. I think that Jockey might have been experimenting on himself.*

"Doesn't sound like a good idea to me."

*It's not. He might have increased his abilities, but at what cost? Let's see if there is anything useful here.*

The lab was fairly small, consisting of only a few rooms. Elizabeth said that it seemed to be focused on the development of Plasmids and Tonics. In the third room they found an Audio Log.

Yi Suchong: Irritations

September 15, 1958

Ryan going to put people in Fontaine Store and sink. Suchong happy Suchong not one of people. Loss of equipment and employees' regrettable, but not important. Buy new equipment and new people. Loss of files intolerable. Make trip back to recover them. Irritating. Loss of device in Silver Fin very irritating.

"Real nice guy that Suchong was."

*He fit in perfectly in Rapture. Only cared about himself and his science.*

The next room had two television screens in it, though one of them had been smashed. The working one showed the hallway outside. She took a moment to explain what they were and Booker pretended to be suitably impressed by the technology. Then he reached out to turn the knob under the working TV and the scene switched to a location she didn't recognize. Another click showed a small bathysphere bay, unfortunately without a sphere in it. One more click showed a large room with five of Ryan's Guards in it.

"That must be downstairs."

*Right hand side, that must be the elevator that John was going to send us down in.*

"And there's John."

John stood by as another man was apparently having a conversation with someone over a shortwave radio. It went on for several minutes and several of the guards walked over to listened as it went on. She could see one of them shake his head at something that was said while another covered his mouth to keep from laughing. A minute more and the conversation clearly ended.

She couldn't see it, but she heard Booker reach into his pocket and pull out his own shortwave.

*Booker, what are you up to?* She tried to sound suspicious, but was certain about what he was going to do.

"Hey Alex. You listening? It's DeWitt."

On the screen the man next to John lifted up his radio again to speak into it.

+"Yeah, I'm here. To what do I owe the pleasure."+

"Oh, thought you should know that there aren't any Atlas supporters up here anymore. Well, none that aren't locked up."

+"Is that supposed to mean anything?"+

"There are some people up here that don't like Atlas and would like to go home. Seems like you might be able to help them with that."

On the screen reactions from Ryan's men varied. One laughed, another seemed to like the idea while several others seemed to not to believe what they heard. Alex for his part didn't seem to react much.

+"Sorry, the most I can do is put in a good word. And that won't count for much. But the offer I made yesterday is still open."+

"Hum. Job didn't work out like it was supposed to. Guess I'll have to think about your offer now."

+"Well don't think to long DeWitt. Offer's not going to be open forever."+

"I'll give you a call tomorrow. That ok?"

+"Ok, hope the offer is still good then. Not my decision on how long it lasts."+

Booker put away the radio and studied Alex on the screen for a moment. A fairly large man, but getting fat. He did a once over of the other men and made a dismissive sound.

"Don't think these guys wouldn't have lasted long as cops back home."

*Have to admit they don't seem overly enthusiastic about their job.* she said as one of the men on the screen started throwing darts at a makeshift target on the wall, while another picked up a newspaper and started reading.

"Think they might have been sent down here because they would be no good in a firefight. Down here they can still be useful. And if they happen to be killed, it wouldn't be a much of a loss."

*I wonder if any of them figured that out.*

"No way to tell. Now let's see how many there are."

They watched for some time and were only able to see six guards. Booker thought that there would be more sleeping or on duty someplace else and planned to deal with at least nine.

*We might be able to find if there are other guards by switching to another camera.*

"Yeah, not going to learn anything more watching those guys." Booker switched to the next camera, but there was no picture, the last camera showed a large Bathysphere docking station. And there were two bathyspheres there docked in it.

*There! They have two Manta Rays. Not the best model, but they should have no trouble making the trip to Rapture and back.*

"How many people could you get in one of those?"

*Six safely. For a short run, maybe seven. But trying to get up to Rapture with seven people, I doubt they would make it alive.*

"Means they could only put twelve people down here and safely get them out in an emergency."

*Twelve or even nine people is a lot to take out with my gas bomb. We will need to draw as many of Ryan's people as we can to the bomb.*

"And what do you think would make good bait?" She could hear the amusement in his voice.

*You.* He Better not be thinking of using himself as bait.

"Or if they think it's me. What would happen if your gas bomb went off in an elevator and the doors were open?"

*The confined space would force the gas into the room beyond, but only about ten feet. Be better if we could put a small explosive charge on the container backed with a piece of metal. That would direct the gas cloud in the direction we want. It should cover most of the room, if not all of it that way.*

"Martin would know if Marks people had any more explosives. If it comes down to it, we can dump the powder out of some shotgun shells and use that."

*And you made a bomb like that before.*

"Well, no. But seen it done."

"Kinda."

*That's Very comforting.*

"Yeah, let's hope that Marks didn't use up all their explosives and fuses. Let's see what else Suchong had in here."

As they searched one the last two rooms she wondered why Suchong had a camera watching a sphere docking bay. And where was this bay? It had to be close by.

*Booker, keep a watch for another hidden door. There might be another hidden entrance to this lab.*

Booker finished a fruitless search of the fourth room and was walking into the last one which contained an ornate desk and had papers strewn about. He paused a moment and looked around. Then pointed to a blank section of wall.

"Other door probably there."

*And why should it be there?* she asked both puzzled and skeptical at the same time.

"Only wall around here that doesn't have anything on it." She thought a moment and realized Booker was right. All the other walls that equipment, power cables, shelves or chalkboards on them.

*Show off.* she scolded.

He walked over to the wall and searched but was unable to find a way to open the door.

*Try the desk* she suggested in an amused tone.

Booker walked over to the desk found a switch. Moments later the door slid open.

"Show off." Booker said with mock irritation. Times like this she wished she could smile.

To their surprise the open door didn't reveal a corridor, but a spiral staircase going down. Booker took a step to go down, but hesitated.

*I think we better finish looking around here first.*

"Yeah. And close the other door in case some decides to come in here."

In a few minutes later the outer door was closed and Booker checked the television to make sure there was no activity in the empty bathysphere dock and that the guards had not been alerted to anything. Suchong's desk surrendered only 27 dollars, a bottle of aspirin and several keys on a key chain marked "Spares". Booker then started down the stairs with his pistol drawn.

The stairway went down only one story and soon they found them selves in the empty sphere bay as she had anticipated. Out of sight of the camera was a narrow passage.

"What was all this for?"

*My guess this so Suchong could visit this lab and no one would know he was here. He liked his secrets.*

"Hope this one kept."

The passage was only about 20 feet long and had several small puddles along it's length. The door at the other end opened easily to reveal a plain looking office lit only with a single flickering lamp. Before allowing the hidden door to close, Booker located the switch on the desk and made sure it worked. The office door was locked, but one of the keys from Suchong's office opened it. Booker quietly slipped out into a short corridor and closed the door behind him without making any noise. There were two other doors, but Booker ignored them for the moment.

Instead, he went to the end of the corridor and listened for a short time before looking around the corner. The corridor beyond was empty and looked much like the plain corridors above.

*Looks like there isn't anyone around. But we shouldn't be to far away from where Ryan's guards or the Bathysphere Docking Station.*

Booker gently nodded his head. He evidentially was unwilling to even chance whispering to her.

They went back and checked the other two doors. One opened to a small break room with only a couple of tables, chairs and empty lockers. It was plain and lacked even the "decorations" they had seem in the larger one above. The other led to a large pumping station. None of the pumps were running and the recessed floor was covered with water of at least a foot in depth. On the other side of the room was another door labeled "Section 3 Maintenance".

Booker didn't seem to like the water and looked around the room until he spotted a cargo hook.

*Don't want to get your feet wet?* Then she figured it out. *You would leave wet foot prints, wouldn't you.*

"Your learning." he whispered. 'Too bad I'll never make use of it.'

Moments later they were hanging from the cargo hook and then landing in front of the door on the other side of the room. The door opened easily and they walked into a room filled with work benches, partially disassembled machines and abandoned tools.

They looked around for several minutes finding nothing of interest until they encounter a half disassembled machine with "U-Invent" in big letters on it.

*I read an advertisement for these. They allow you to make things if you supply it with the proper materials.*

"What kind of things?"

*Don't know. But I do remember that Fontaine didn't own the company that made them. So why is it down here?*

"Figuring out how it works maybe?"

*Yeah, that makes sense. Can you take look inside. I might learn a little about it.*

Booker quickly obliged, but a look was more than enough to tell her even she would need to make an extensive study of the U-Invent in order to understand it. After that they continued to search the area and on the far workbench she noticed an odd yellow tool with a pistol grip.

*Booker, the table ahead on the right.* He went picked it up and examined to for a moment. *I think that's one of the those Hacking Tools I mentioned earlier.*

"Guess we can try it out on that safe and find out for sure."

They checked the lockers along the back wall and got a surprise when the corpse of a woman in coveralls tumbled out of the second one they opened.

Booker muttered "Sorry." as he quickly searched the body finding a slip of paper with the number 2769 on it. He gently pushed the corpse back into the locker and closed the door. In the other lockers they found an inexpensive watch, a wallet with 56 dollars and a bottle of glue.

*Nice to have some extra glue if we need it.*

The last thing to check was a small store room that had been partially converted over to an office. The only thing of interest was an Audio Log.

Paul Gristman: Troublemaker

November 17, 1958

I know White is being a real pain in the ass to you Bethany. If he crosses the line and you have to stop from causing *real* trouble, I'm giving you permission to use Possession on him. There's a bottle in Secure Storage, Locker 14. You have permission to use it on White only. If I hear you have been using it to get yourself a new boyfriend, there will be hell to pay. Got it?

*Possession. The version they use down here is a bit different then the one in Columbia. After it wears off they don't kill themselves. There is a upgrade that causes an effected person to knock themselves out, but that's all. Of course Bethany might have used it.*

"I think that was Bethany in the locker over there." Booker informed her sadly.

*I guess, she didn't get the chance then.* She understood. If Bethany had been able to use the Possession, she would probably still be alive. Her death was their good luck.

"Probably not. Just need to find that Secure Storage place now."

Several minutes later they were in the short corridor and Booker again listened for some time before looking around the corner. Nothing seemed to have changed since they looked the first time. Booker slowly walked down the corridor, careful to avoid making noise. About twenty foot down there was another short corridor branching off to the left that had two doors on it. The first was a simple office door labeled "D-AL 101". The other door was at end of the corridor and was reinforced. A plaque stating "Secure Storage # 4" adorned the wall above it. Alongside the door was a number lock.

*This would seem to be the place.*

Booker gestured to the office first and found it was locked. None of the keys from Suchong's office would open it either. Booker made a dismissive sound and went to the other door. He entered the number off the slip of paper they found on Bethany's remains and the door slid open.

The room wasn't very large but filled with cubbyholes and lockers of various sizes along the walls and a shelving unit in the middle. All over the room were delicate electronic components, computer parts, small eclectic motors and expansive tools. They quickly located Locker 14 and found the bottle of Possession stored within. Booker looked at a moment and put it on one of shelves and did a quick search of the rest of the lockers. The search only tuned up a stash of six creme-filled cakes.

*Guess somebody really likes those.*

Booker retrieved the bottle of Possession and headed back to the hidden door that led to the Sphere Bay and Suchong's lab above.

They were only halfway down the corridor when they heard voices behind them. Not bothering to look back, Booker rushed the remaining distance as quietly as he could. Just after they turned the corner a flashlight beam illuminated the corridor behind them.

Now they could hear footsteps and make out some of what was being said.

"..is John giving the orders." the first voice asked.

"Donno. I just followin.." a second voice responded.

Booker carefully slipped into the office and closed the door while the first voice complained "..patrol down here. They can't get down here and he knows it. Just showin' off. The Sarge should him who's boss."

Just as Booker turned the key to lock the door a light shown under the door.

"You hear that?" the second voice said.

"Hear what?"

"Something, a lock maybe."

The door handle rattled. "Well, this one is locked." the other one said in an irritated voice. "Let's get back. Nothin' going on here."

The light and voices moved away and Booker let out a slow breath.

*That was close. I think we should get back upstairs.*

Booker just nodded and hit the switch that opened the hidden door. 'We really have to figure out a way for him to talk to me without him... talking to me.'

As they ascended the stairs Booker felt it was safe to talk again.

"Closer than I would like. If they hadn't been sloppy they might have caught us."

*But now we know that we can get down there and that it's not far away from where Ryan's people are set up. We can gas them and then surprise anyone still awake from behind.*

"Take a little coordination and careful timing, but should work."

They entered Suchong's lab and Booker headed for the Television monitor to see what Ryan's men were doing. Nothing had changed that they could see. Booker pulled out his watch and looked at the time. Much more had passed than she had expected.

"You know, that paperwork is looking a lot better now."

*You said it.*

It was going to be good to get back to the messages. She felt useful doing the decoding, not like parasite leaching off of Booker's life. That was unfair. She knew she wasn't a parasite and she was positive that Booker feel that way about her either. But it didn't change the way she felt at times.

Booker to the labs door and hit the switch to open it. Then he looked down at the bottle of Possession in his hand and sighed.

"Not going to be able to walk around with this out there."

*You could leave it here for later.*

Booker considered it a moment then shook his head slightly. "I found this place without much trouble. Someone else could too. Better drink it now."

He closed his eyes and drank down the Plasmid. "Well, no light show this time."

*Light show?*

"Yeah, first time I drank this there were all kinds of green lights and things looked funny."

*That almost sounds like the effects of some of the recreational drugs they allow down here. So did you enjoy it the first time?*

"Hell no. Let's go and try out that Hack Tool at that safe."

As they headed back the computer room she wondered a little about the effects Shock Jockey on her. When Booker and Anna were safely back home, she would no longer be needed and she wasn't going to force Booker to live the rest of his life with her looking over his shoulder. Booker wouldn't object, but it wouldn't be right. Shock Jockey may provide a clue on how to remove her when the time came.

Booker walked to the front of the safe in the office area of the computer room and got out the Hack Tool. He looked at it for a moment before figuring it out and then used it on the safe. The tool made a spinning noise for a moment and the door to the safe door cracked opened. Booker opened the safe and glanced at the Hack Tool. A small amount of smoke wafted up from it.

"You're kidding me." he stated to one in particular.

*It broke after one use? Really?*

Booker examined the now broken tool a little more closely. "Think it's supposed to do that. This thing really don't look to well built."

*Well, at least the safe is open and we know the Hack Tools live up to their name.*

Booker tossed the Hack Tool into a trash can to join the cigarettes and turned to look at the contents of the safe. The shifting colors of an Infusion was the first thing they saw. Beside it was a small gold bar and a stack of bills.

Booker reached out and picked up the Infusion.

*Are you sure you want to do that?*

"Yeah. Trust these things more than the Plasmids actually. Considering how many I drank in Columbia, I think that if you first one doesn't kill you, none of them will."

*Wait, you KNEW those could kill you?* 'What was he doing taking such a chance?'

"Not the first time. Lutece only mentioned the "kill me" part after I drank the first one." Booker didn't sound happy it.

*You would have drank it anyway, right?*

"Probably, but don't like being tricked."

Booker quickly drank the Infusion and emptied out the contents of the safe. They should be able upgrade one of his Plasmids now with a fair amount left over. Booker carefully moved the body of the Jockey behind some shelves so it would be more difficult to find. If people knew the Jockey was dead they would probably swarm the place looking for things of value or ADAM. They left the computer room and walked out into the mall area. There were a few less people about than earlier, but still a fair number.

They walked over to the Circus of Values and Booker bought some milk to go with his dinner. As they walked to the stairway someone called out to them. Booker turned to see the man with the blue cloth tied on his face. The splicer gave waved and gave him a thumbs up sign. Booker waved back. That seemed to please the splicer.

They made it back the pharmacy without any incidents and Booker ate his dinner from Joe's before getting back to decoding the messages. An hour later they were finished and had learned that some sections of Rapture had been closed off to try and try and restrict the movement of Atlas's supporters. Something else they discovered was that neither side had been able to take control of Olympus Heights as it was a low priority for both sides. They decided that it might be a good place to enter Rapture and scout around.

They made what plans they could for defeating Ryan's guards and discovered they had several hours of time left before it was time to sleep. They didn't want to go on another "walk", so they did something they never had a chance to do before. Just talk as two normal people. Not about their situation, plans to get up to Rapture, tears or what happened in Columbia. Just simply, talk.

In truth, Booker did a lot of the talking and more than a little of it was about Anna. She didn't really feel she had much to offer, but Booker still managed to get her to talk some. It was incredible in some ways, she knew so much about Booker, but at the same time, she knew almost nothing at all.

Sometime later Elizabeth realized it was starting to get dark for her again.

*Booker, I'm starting to fade again. Can you do me a favor?*

"Certainly."

*If you find a guitar, I would.. like to hear you play... some more.*

"I would be happy to play for you Elizabeth."

*Thank.. you.*

As everything faded away, she knew she was smiling.

End Chapter 11


End file.
